Ditto
by Moondancing Millie
Summary: What if Susannah was two people, Suze and Anna? The two sisters come to blows over their love for movie star Hector De Silva, whilst Hector's cousin Jesse battles with his unrequited crush on Suze. Confused? Reporter Paul is determined to solve it all.
1. Suze and Anna

**A/N It appears that I have been affected by the festive mood...and so I'm posting my new fic two weeks early! I think I may have an addiction to WIPs (along with other things, Deema :-P) but I'm seeking help. Merry Christmas for Tuesday, everyone - please feedback about this.**

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**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**DE SILVA STRIKES GOLD IN WILD-WEST THRILLER!**_

_It seems that the teenage heart-throb can do no wrong in Hollywood._

**Chapter One**

**Suze and Anna**

"Does my butt look big in this?"

I don't even look up at my sister Anna before replying. I know that the blue – "_Periwinkle, _Suze!" – dress that she had whisked off the rack several minutes before would be hugging her perfect, cellulite-free body in all the right places, and none of the wrong ones.

"No," I reply, turning the page of my gossip magazine scathingly. "Of course not. Nothing of yours could ever look big in anything. You make me sick." Anna waves a dismissive hand impatiently and wanders back into her cubicle.

Her voice floats over the wall. "Whatever, Suze. We're not here to talk about your problems. Everyone knows that your fat ass couldn't fit into anything I own." I scowl, and turn the page again. I am _not _fat. I'm not even a size twelve, which, I persistently remind my twin sister, is the average women's dress size, according to _People _magazine. It's just…well…anyone with an addiction to Doritos and therefore not a size zero would look the size of a house next to my sister Anna. Only in my case, it's more like an apartment block, because I'm so freakishly tall.

But I don't bother lecturing her, as I am rendered speechless by the sight that greets me on the next page of my magazine – Hector De Silva, best known for his chiselled jaw and his six-pack…and occasionally for his work on blockbuster films. There is no kind of imperfection on his face, except for a chalk-white scar through his eyebrow, no doubt caused by some heroic swordfight on the set of his latest film. He does all of his own stunts, whilst simulaneously thrilling everyone with some kind of quotable line.

"So then Kelly discovered that there were over three hundred calories in this brunch bar that we all swore by…" Anna was still muttering, mostly to herself. I hadn't been listening for the last five minutes, anyway. "Suze?" My name wakes me up a little, as does her annoyed voice. She pushes the cubicle door open and stands there for a moment, with her hands on her hips, before she realises. "Oh, for God's sake. Are you still mourning over that tool's latest hook-up or whatever?" She reaches forwards to snatch the magazine from me, but I pull it close to my chest protectively.

"He is _not _a tool," I argue, and then I realise for the first time that she has taken the dress off, and is standing in a full changing room with nothing on but her lacy bra and Juicy Couture jeans. "Anna," I hiss, scandalized, noticing some frowning old ladies in the corner. "Put some clothes on!"

"This is why you have never been on a date," she says, in reference to the magazine I am still clutching to my heart. She waggles her fingers in the women's direction. "You don't live in the real world." She hunts in the cubicle for her shirt, and comes out again with it on. "Are you ready to go? You know how much I hate it when Mom sends you shopping with me."

"Mom's just trying to keep us together," I reply, defensively. "You know, as a family." Anna snorts, and lays her dress carefully in front of the cashier. She digs in her purse and I notice that she hands over Mom's credit card.

"Please." Anna sounds disgusted. "We haven't been a family since Dad died. Maybe even before that. How old were we when we grew out of diapers?" I don't answer, hating how she was so blasé about Dad. It was true, however, what she was saying. We hadn't sat down for a family meal since I could remember, and Mom knew nothing about either of us. She had no idea that I was flunking math, and how I was forced to forge her signature on every one of my failed tests, and she didn't know how Anna went out partying every weekend, only to come back and mar my bedroom carpet with yet another orange stain. And obviously, she had no idea that Anna was using her credit card to buy a Spring Fling dress.

"What are you doing?" I demand, as Anna surrenders the card and watches it get swiped. "That's Mom's – she has to buy groceries with that on Saturday. What if it gets maxed out again?" Anna pretends like she hasn't heard me, and collects her purchase with a dazzling smile. I feel like throttling her.

"Oh, cry me a river," she says, eventually. "Maybe if Mom spent less on cigarettes, we'd have more to buy important stuff with." I follow in her Chanel No.5-scented wake, irritably, out into the parking lot. Anna whips out the car key, and the Camarro's lights gleam in the distance.

"Important stuff?" I repeat. "Oh, you mean like Spring Fling dresses?" Anna doesn't answer, and instead proceeds to the Camarro, her Jimmy Choo knock-offs clacking furiously. "How did you manage to score the Camarro anyway? It's like, Jake's baby."

"I'm very persuasive," Anna remarks, with a sparkle in her eye, and she climbs into the driver's seat, throwing her handbag and shopping bags into the back seat. "Get in, dork." I climb in reluctantly; the only thing stopping me from staying in the parking lot is the cool fog beginning to roll in from the bay. She smiles, satisfied, and turns on Jake's stereo loudly. To my disgust, it's hip hop.

Jake is the oldest of the Ackerman boys, who live up the street in the huge 19th century house on the hill. It's beautiful – and so it should be, seeing as Mr. Ackerman is a carpenter – though its age still creeps me out a little. I don't like old houses. I'm not sure why.

Anyway, Mr. Ackerman ("Call me Andy, Suze!") seems to have the hots for my mom, who is too busy working her butt off to notice. He fixed our deck last summer, after Anna pushed me out of the double doors and I went right through it, and refused to receive payment for it, blushing furiously when my mom tried to write him a check. Jake also tagged along, attempting to chat up Anna as she painted her nails. Except for Andy, the Ackermans and I ignore each other, even though I'm convinced the smallest, David, would prove very useful at the times of math homework, and could possibly save me from that dreaded 'F' on my report card.

We pull up on their drive now, and the middle kid, Brad, just 'coincidentally' happens to be working out on the front lawn, despite the sky being a deep pink, and the sun hovering over the horizon. He jumps up at the sight of Anna, and turns a deep shade of purple as his older brother pushes him out of the way.

"Hey, Anna," Jake says, with a goofy grin. I nearly barf. "Did… did the Camarro run smooth for ya?" Anna returns the keys with a flirtatious expression, and Jake nearly falls over.

"Smoothest car I've ever driven," she replies, before turning on her heel and beckoning me to follow her. "Bye now, Jake. Bye, Brad." The two boys wave excitedly back at her, though both their gazes are fixed on the keys she had in the palm of her hand only seconds ago. No doubt they will become part of their shrine to her.

"Why do you put up with them?" I ask her, as we're walking back to our house. "I mean, you could have Bryce Martinson, if you wanted. Why bother with the Ackermans." We set foot on our driveway, and Anna shakes her deep brown curls free of her barrette, whilst my mousy locks stay fixed in a ponytail.

"Oh, Susie," she says, with a patronizing pat on my head, despite the fact that we are exactly the same age. "You have so much to learn. The Ackermans are just useful, O.K?" Sure, they're useful, if she needs to borrow a car, or needs to learn how to lift dumbbells. But couldn't she see that they were both infatuated? They were going to get hurt if she didn't nip it in the bud soon.

I relay this back to her, and she merely shrugged. "Infatuated?" she repeats, thoughtfully. "You mean, like you are about that Hector du Whatsit?" I roll my eyes, knowing that she got his name wrong on purpose, just to bug me.

"De Silva." I can't help correcting her. "And I'm not infatuated. But even you have to admit he's good-looking. And he can act – he totally made you cry in _Death's Last Door_." Anna had pulled a lip-gloss from her hand-bang and was attending to her already made-up pout.

"He did not," she insists. "I had something in my eye. I guess he's O.K looking, but I totally prefer blondes." She put her gloss back in her bag thoughtfully, and turns on the TV. "Oh, look. E! True Hollywood Story – Hector De Silva." My attention is drawn immediately. "I'm taking the last Cinnabon – is that O.K?" I wave her away, and she gladly leaves, satisfied.

"Hector Jorge De Silva was born to Jorge and Marisol De Silva, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California in 1985. He has one sister, Maria, and currently lives in L.A, leaving his family and a large horde of grandparents and cousins in Northern California..." My mouth nearly dropped open – Hector De Silva was born in Carmel! _Carmel_? The place that I had spent all of my sixteen years in… I had to call –

Well, no-one. Being sister to the most popular girl in school, everyone tended to warm towards her, and not me. So whilst my sister was out cheerleading, or organizing the school dances or saving the world one beach clean-up at a time, I was seeking refuge in the library, where not even the geeks would talk to me. Man, I really needed a best friend.

It was funny, how when I was thinking all of this, Jesse De Silva was about to ring the doorbell of my house and ask to speak to me, and not my sister.


	2. The De Silvas

**A/N Thanks for the reviews, everyone! 12 is a magnificent number to begin with...and thanks for keeping an open mind. Here is the update, I was kind of afraid NOT to update with Deema on my tail...**

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**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**DE SILVA LOOKS SET TO HOST THE PARTY OF THE YEAR!**_

_The hot party tonight in L.A to celebrate the star's 21__st__ birthday is the talk of the town._

**Chapter Two**

**The De Silvas**

The shrill wail of the door-bell rings through the house, but neither of us move. Anna has finished her Cinnabon, and is happily buffing her nails in the armchair across the room from me. I brush my bangs out of my eyes, and then carry on watching the biography of Hector De Silva.

"Door," declares Anna, still not moving. "You might wanna get that."

"You mean _you _might wanna get that," I correct her, eyes glued to the screen. "No doubt it's for you, Homecoming Queen. You're closer, anyway." In the end, though, I realise that she isn't going to move one inch, and I get off the couch to answer the door. I prepare my yes-Anna-is-here-please-stop-girlishly-squealing-and-then-I'll-go-and-get-her look, and pull open the door. But of course, it isn't any of the cheerleading squad. It's Jesse De Silva.

You've read 'Jesse De Silva', and I know an image has come to your head. Because to you, a name like Jesse can only mean one thing: a tall, handsome jock, with muscles bursting out of his football jersey, and a perfect, billion-watt smile. But in reality, Jesse De Silva is president of the mathletes, the Save Our School society (it's an environmentalist thing) and spends most of his lunchtimes in the library. But unlike me, who is seeking refuge from my sister's cat-calling cronies, he is actually in there to study. _Seriously._

"Hey," says Jesse, smiling nervously. "It's Susan, right?" I nod, and invite him in wordlessly. He is greeted by Anna, who has come to inspect the visitor, since it's obviously an oddity me having a guest instead of her. But Jesse shoots her a polite smile before turning his attentions back at me. Both of us flinch at him, before finally assuming he's got us confused.

"You do know that _Anna_ is the one who's Vice President, don't you?" I ask, pointing towards her. "And on the dance team. And on the cheerleading squad?" Jesse nods, a little dubiously, and turns around to look at her again.

"Go team," he says, with an unenthusiastic punch into the air. And then he addresses me again. "Susan, can I talk to you in the kitchen or something?" Anna gives a little sniff and disappears into the lounge, obviously not happy that someone is actually here to see me. I nod at Jesse again, and lead him into the kitchen. I'm a little freaked that he called me by my whole name though – I mean, even my mom calls me Suze, and she's the one who called me Susan in the first place (My mom is weirdly attached to the song that goes like "Oh, Susannah, oh don't you cry for me…" and she firmly decided that she would call her first daughter Susannah. It's just…well…when she found out she was having twins, she had to split the name between us).

"You want a soda or something?" I ask Jesse, as he sits down. I'm a little unsure as to what I do with a guest, having never had the honour of being a hostess before. And I mean that. In second grade or whatever, it was always Anna bringing home friends for cookies, not me. Jesse nods, and I throw him one – he drops it with a blush – and then I sit opposite him, expectantly. I truly have no idea what he's going to say.

"You're flunking math, yes?"

You know that faint _pssht _sound that the tab of a can of soda makes as you open it? I'm pretty sure that's the sound that came out of me after Jesse said that. It was so not what I was expecting. Of course, I also drop the can of soda I had been holding onto my foot, denting the aluminium and probably my talus (I'm not failing Biology…). Jesse blinks in my direction a few times, before asking if I'm O.K.

"Yeah…" I groan, massaging my foot. "And, um, yeah. I'm flunking math too." Jesse brightened – not the usual reaction. I raised an eyebrow, and he laughed.

"It only means that I won't make a fool out of myself," he explains, and I become intrigued. "Father Dom told me you were flunking math, and wondered if I wanted…and you wanted me, obviously, to tutor you." I almost choke on the first sip of my cola.

"T-tutor?" I repeat, coughing. "Um, are you sure?" I mean, there's a reason kids hang around my sister and not me. It may or may not have something to do the fact that I can touch and speak to the dead (I probably should have mentioned that sooner) or it may just be the fact that I'm subconsciously sarcastic and not really that much of a partier.

"Yes, I'm sure," Jesse assures me, with an unfailing smile. "What do you say then, Susan?" There he goes again with my full name. "Would you let me tutor you? I'm sure it will benefit you." He blushes. "I'm…I'm getting an A+." Geez. An A+? I guess that's what you get when you go in the library to actually study.

But in the end, I realise that a tutor will probably be as close as I get to a social life, and I throw my hands into the air, defeated. "Sure," I reply, eventually. "You can tutor me. If you really want." I can't help being a little unenthusiastic – I mean, I'm not exactly sure any amount of tutoring will ever help me out in math. Jesse, however, seems happy.

"Cool," he says, with a grin. We are then greeted by the, er, dulcet tones of Eminem and Jesse looks a little tentatively towards the lounge. I'm used to my sister filling the house with loud and sometimes offensive music, but I heard from someone that Jesse has five younger sisters. His house is no doubt filled with Hilary Duff and_ High School Musical_, instead of Eminem.

"That would be my sister," I explain, but Jesse doesn't exactly look reassured. "She's watching MTV." He sips his soda wordlessly, and I do the same. The silence in the kitchen isn't awkward, but I still can't help wishing he would leave. I have a World Civ. Essay due in tomorrow, and I'm less than 100 words through it.

"Should we… set a time for me to come over?" Jesse asks, setting down his empty can. "That we stick to every week? I was thinking maybe a Thursday afternoon? Because I'm doing Mathletes on a Monday, and then I have Save Our School on a Tuesday…." I'm only half-heartedly listening, because something else has captured my attention. Anna had left _Star Magazine_ on the kitchen table, and the headline catches my eye. Tonight Hector De Silva would be celebrating his 21st birthday. Jesse stops talking and followed my eye-line.

"Yeah," he says, sounded a little put out. "I guess he does kind of have that effect on people. The effect being that it stops you listening to anyone besides him." I smiled guiltily.

"I'm sorry…" I begin, but Jesse shakes his head.

"It's understandable. He's a great guy – tells great jokes," he adds, and I drop my can yet again – though thankfully this time it's empty. It was just a little surprising to hear Jesse speak so colloquially about a big-bucks-earning movie star.

"Great jokes?" I echo, a little humorously. "Never had you down as one to tune into MTV just to hear Hector De Silva's jokes." And then I realise for the first time that Jesse and Hector have the same surname, and immediately turn scarlet – I could see my reflection in the toaster. "Oh. _Oh._ You're his…"

"Cousin," Jesse replies, and I have to admit, I spot a little likeness. My cheeks still burning, I watch Jesse stand up and swing his satchel over his shoulder. "Maybe I'll just drop by and surprise you." I stutter something incoherent, and follow him to the door. Anna is now singing loudly along to the music, and Jesse looks a little pained as he passes the lounge door. "If I'm honest," he says, as I hold the front door open. "I prefer the sister that's not Vice President, cheerleader and member of the dance team." And then he steps outside.

"Go team," I say lamely, and Jesse just smiles.

"Indeed," he agrees, although I can see on his face he's dying to tease me for it. "I'll see you around, _querida_." I nod, and watch him walk away, before shutting the door.

Wait. _What_ did he call me?


	3. The Non Date

**A/N Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Just to clear up some confusion - Jesse and Hector are two different people, as are Suze and Anna in this fic. I hope you'll like the end of this chapter...**

**Merry Xmas, everybody. I'm hoping to have a little Christmas treat up for everybody later on today.**

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**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**DE SILVA'S NEW CATCH**_

_The actor leaves his birthday party with mystery brunette_

**Chapter Three**

**The Non-Date**

"Suze!"

When my sister is annoyed, her usually chipper voice turns to one of a howler monkey. She has been calling my name for a couple of minutes, but I ignore her, choosing to cross my legs and continue reading _Star Magazine _instead. I decide that if she wants me, she can come and get me.

"Suze!"

She shouts again, and is met with silence. Eventually, I hear the angry _clack-click-clack _as her almost-Manolo Blahniks make their way across the landing, and she bursts through my door, looking less than peaceful. However, as she struts into my room, she seems to calm down, and begins rifling through my drawers casually, like there's actually something in there that she would be caught dead in.

"So," she begins, nonchalantly. I can tell by her ridiculously short outfit, paired with the fact that it's a Saturday night, that she's going to a party. And, no doubt, she wants me to cover her. "Kelly got us in to this great party in L.A, and I need you to tell Mom I'm staying over at Debbie's or something." I roll my eyes. "Or, you know." Her eyes glint. "The Ackermans. You know Mom wouldn't call up to check at _that _house, she's too weirded out by Mr. A's crush on her."

"I am not covering for you," I insist, watching in disgust as Anna pulls her lip-gloss from – where else? – her bra, and starts applying it to her lips. "Mom will be home any minute; you can tell where you're going yourself." Anna doesn't look deterred, and instead adjusts her stilettos. I sigh, and turn my attention to my magazine again.

"Mom won't be home till I'm gone." She's confident. "What's the big deal?" Anna demands, sitting on my bed and stretching her smooth legs. "I mean, it's not like you have anything better tonight. Unless," she looks like she's dying to laugh. "You have a study date tonight with Señor Dorkus." I frowned, and tossed my magazine aside.

"Don't call him that," I argue defensively, in spite of myself. "His name is Jesse. And anyway, we don't have a study date. He's just going to be tutoring me in math for a while." Anna looks amused, but then we both hear the doorbell ring. "Looks like Mom is home sooner than you thought." Anna leaps off my bed, and brushes her outfit lightly with her fingertips.

"Do I look like I'm going out for the night anyway besides Debbie's?" she asks me, pulling off her high heels and sticking her feet in my slippers. I examine her outfit.

"You look like a slut," I inform her, and then I call to whoever is at the door – though we're convinced it's Mom. "Coming!" I make my way towards my doorway, though Anna throws herself across it. "_Move_!" I cry, trying to push her out the way.

"I'm staying at Debbie's," she reminds me of the 'story'. "Right?" I give her a hard shove – my weight does have one advantage – and she falls to the floor with a bump. I walk past her, shooting her a contemptuous look before I make it downstairs and answer the door. It's not Mom.

"Hey," says Jesse, with a grin. "Do you always have that look on your face when you answer the door?" I blush and shake my head. "Can I come in?" he asks, and I nod, holding the door open. With a bump, my sister hobbles down the stairs, and shoots an amused look in my direction at the sight of Jesse.

"Well," she says, pulling on her heels again. "Who would have thought we'd be seeing _you_ here again tonight?" I widen my eyes at her meaningfully. It's obvious by the _you _that she can't remember the name I told her less then twenty seconds ago. Jesse is oblivious to my mortification.

"Yeah," Jesse replies, looking bashful. "But I wasn't doing anything tonight, and so I thought maybe I'd see if you wanted any tutoring?" His gaze is locked on me. Man, even the nerds know that I never have anything to do on a Saturday night. He lifts up his textbook and pencil case. "I thought we'd start with something easier… simultaneous equations?" I groan inwardly. Only Jesse De Silva would find simultaneous equations easy.

"Sure," I surrender uneasily, and Jesse smiles. I think it's identical to the smile on my poster of Hector De Silva.

"Have fun on your date!" Anna sings, as she slips out the door before I can notice. I am then left to deal with the embarrassment and silence that comes from the word 'date', but decide to pretend like I haven't heard it, even though it's obvious Jesse has.

"It's not a date," I say hurriedly, turning a furious pink. "I mean, we're just tutoring and it's not like we're going to make out or anything…" My insides squirm as I realise I have lost total control of my mouth. I clamp a hand over my mouth and look sheepishly in Jesse's direction.

"A non-date," he confirms, with a curt nod. There's an awkward pause for some time afterwards. We walk silently into the kitchen and sit down at the table.

"I hate my sister," I say, eventually, hoping desperately that a change of subject will ease the burn of my cheeks. "Sometimes I hope I'm adopted. Or she is. And my mom just happened to adopt one of us the same day the other one was born." Jesse grins as he flips open his textbook.

"And it's just a coincidence that the two of you look alike," he adds, helpfully. I am surprised at this remark, as I've never thought of Anna and me to be similar. I don't say anything though, and instead watch quietly as Jesse finds a place in his textbook.

"Here," he says, pushing the book towards me. "Let's work through this example. I'll tell you if you go wrong." I start to copy it down, and then chew my lip, and stop. Jesse looks concerned. "Are you O.K?"

"I'm fine," I assure him. "It's just…Saturday isn't a math day. I'm just not in the mood." Jesse's face is expressionless now, and I'm unable to tell whether or not he agrees with me. "Do you…do you just want to watch a movie or something?" _What am I doing?_ I think, wondering if I'm insane._ Jesse is the type of person my sister would avoid like the plague._

_But I'm not my sister_. With that determined statement, I stand up, and Jesse looks surprised. "Come on," I encourage him. "I'll get us sodas – and we'll watch a movie. We'll… we'll set a definite date for tutoring-" I cringe inwardly at the word 'date' again – what is wrong with me? "-and stick to it." Jesse finally seems convinced.

"O.K then," he agrees, and he stands up. "You're right. What movie do you have in mind?"

We decide on a war film – firmly pushing aside Anna's romantic comedies – and I slip it into the DVD player. As the opening credits begin to roll, I become more relaxed. Maybe this is what it feels like to have something to do on a Saturday night.

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A clank from the kitchen wakes me up immediately, and the first thing I realise is that it's light. I must have fallen asleep during the film. 

_God. How embarrassing._

I wander out into the hall, and notice that my mom's shoes aren't beside me and my sister's shoes. She didn't come home last night. Another clank from the kitchen echoes through into the hall, and I follow the noise curiously. It's not like Anna to eat breakfast at all, let alone so early in the morning.

"I can't believe you're here. You do know that she's sixteen, don't you?" I frown at the unfamiliar voice, and approach the kitchen with caution. And then, in the doorway, I think I have a minor heart-attack.

Jesse is there, drinking coffee at my kitchen table. But beside him, eating Cap'n Crunch hungrily, is Hector De Silva.

In his _underwear_.


	4. Explanations

**A/N I've just realised how short these chapters look. I will say that they're all over 1,500 words each, promise! ****I hope you've all had a good couple of days, and that you like this chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**

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**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**DE SILVA RETURNS HOME**_

_The teen sensation is snapped visiting his hometown_

**Chapter Four**

**Explanations**

Jesse stands up when he spots me – he is nothing if not a gentleman, obviously. Hector, however, carries on eating his cereal like it's its no big deal that he's eating breakfast in a stranger's house.

"Susan-" Jesse begins, but I interrupt him with a loud scream.

"Anna!" I shriek, rooted to the spot. "Anna, get the hell down here right now!" There's a sound of coughing and spluttering upstairs – Anna could never hold her liquor – and she appears at the top of the stairs, pink-faced and obviously suffering from a hangover.

"What?" she demanded, sourly. "What do you what?" I can feel my patience wearing thin, and clench my fist.

"Anna," I hiss. "Come here. Now." She grumbles loudly, but hobbles down the stairs, clinging to the handrail and looking queasy. She frowns at the sound coming from the kitchen – Jesse is scolding Hector for his lack of etiquette – and burps gently before asking.

"You got visitors?" She giggles, and then answers her own question. "Of course not – Suze doesn't get visitors. Suze is a _loner_." I grab her by the only means possible – by her long mass of hair – and yank her down the stairs. She groans and holds her head sulkily. "God," she scoffs. "What the hell did you do that for?"

I don't answer her. "Did you bring someone home last night?" She rubs her forehead uneasily before shrugging. I wonder if she's still a little drunk. I notice she's still wearing her mini-skirt, though her fishnets are torn and holed. There's a dark smudge under each eye from where her make-up has run.

"I don't remember," she replies, grumpily. "Kelly and I were wasted, O.K? We got a cab home from L.A, because we couldn't find anywhere to stay-"

"L.A," I echo, tonelessly, trying to fit all the pieces together. "L.A. Oh my God, Anna, do you _know _who you brought home last night?" Hector in my kitchen, Anna going to an L.A party… it all added up. And I was furious.

I seize her wrist and pull her into the kitchen so that she can see what I mean. Jesse jumps up at the sight of us, and Anna takes his chair without a word of thanks. She reaches for a banana and starts peeling it calmly. "Anna," I say, impatiently. "This is Hector De Silva." Anna drops the banana skin in the trash can behind her, and nods her head to him slightly.

"Suze," she says, turning to me. "Do you know it's like, illegal to kidnap a movie-star?" Jesse starts laughing uncontrollably, and I shoot him a venomous glare. He shoves his fist into his mouth in order to contain it, but he doesn't seem to be succeeding.

"It wasn't me, you idiot!" I cry, angrily. "It's you who brought him home, after that stupid party you went to last night!" Hector holds up a hand to silence me.

"It was _not_ a stupid party," he says, defensively. "It was the freakin' party of the year, baby!" I ignore his helpful (not) contribution and turn my attention back to my twin sister, shaking my head.

"I can not believe you slept with Hector De Silva." Anna drops her banana in surprise, and Hector chokes on seemingly nothing. Jesse's face is expressionless, as usual.

"Hello?" My sister is adamant. "I am not _that _much of a slut, O.K?" She plucks at her party outfit. "I was totally dressed when I woke up this morning. Nothing happened."

Hector seconds that. "Dude," he says to me, standing up. I take a little offence at the _dude_, seeing as I am clearly not one. "You can't be spreading that crap around. I mean – how old is she?"

"Eighteen," Anna answers, at the same time as I say "Sixteen." She shoots me an annoyed look and I scowl back at her. This is evidently too much for Hector, who sits back down again with a bemused expression.

"Dude," he says again. "So you're like, identical." My sister and I simultaneously challenge that, but Jesse holds up a hand, and we fall silent. Hector shakes his head. "Dude, I've never seen two people look the same before. Except in that film – you know. The Lindsay Lohan one." I decide not to point out that his cousin beside him is in fact very similar to him.

"My cousin," Jesse announces, amusedly. "Is not exactly the shiniest star in Hollywood." I snort, and Hector looks at us wildly.

"Jess," he says, grinding his teeth. "I'm the hottest teen star right now. I am _too _shiny." I roll my eyes, but Anna sits back down again, abandoning her banana. Her eyes are fixed on Hector.

"So, like, have you been in any romance films?" she purrs. Hector takes the banana from her side and takes a bite, chewing thoughtfully. He swallows and then shakes his head.

"Nah," he replies. "I'm not a dude for chick-flicks, y'know?" Anna purses her lips together, and Jesse raises an eyebrow at her suddenly seductive behaviour. I feel a twinge of jealousy in the pit of my stomach as Hector responds with interest to her actions.

"Well," Anna says, twisting a coil of dark hair around her finger. "I'm totally into acting." This is the first I've ever heard of it. "Maybe you and I should team up – we'd totally redefine the word 'chick-flick'." Hector grins, and takes another bite of his banana.

"Maybe I'll talk to my agent," he retorts, eyes locked on my sister. She pouts flirtatiously.

"Maybe," she continues, flipping her hair. She is leaning over the table, getting closer and closer to Hector. The two of them seem to be unaware that Jesse and I are still in the room. "I'll-"

Jesse clears his throat, and the two break apart slowly. "Maybe," Jesse says, with a twisted smile. "It's time to get you home, cousin." Hector finishes the rest of the banana and then stands up. He smiles at Anna, and reaches for her hand to kiss. Her eyes widen at the contact.

"I'll see you around, little lady," he says quietly, but loudly enough for me, and Anna, who turns a delicate pink, to hear. "Come on, cuz, let's go. Haven't seen _mi tios _in a while." My sister swoons at the Spanish, and I feel like slapping her.

Jesse claps Hector on the back, and then turns to say goodbye to me. "I'll see you in school, Susan," he declares, and then he winks. He walks Hector out of the room without another word, and I turn to deal with my twin.

"I am going to kill you-" I begin, but Anna interrupts as she throws up copiously all over my feet.

_Great._

* * *

A few hours later, after I have forced some tomato juice down Anna's throat, we are watching TV in the lounge. Anna insists on watching _Gossip Girl_, and I'm bored out of my brains. I've never been one for teen dramas. She slips out of the room to get a drink of water, and I steal the remote to switch on the news. 

"Hey!" Anna shouts after hearing her favourite TV show disturbed. She appears in the doorway, but doesn't argue. Instead, she becomes absorbed in the current news story.

_"Teen movie-star Hector De Silva has been seen visiting his hometown of Carmel-by-the-Sea!" _You can totally tell that the local news station is thrilled about this. I mean, once people leave Carmel, they don't generally come back. It's not all that exciting. We don't even have a Bagel Bob. _"Rumours are circling that he is seeing a local girl romantically, but we have no confirmation of this yet from De Silva's family."_

"Wow," says Anna, sipping her soda. "What a lame news story." The phone starts ringing, and I stretch across the couch to answer it, my eyes still glued to the screen.

"Hello?"

"_Querida, _do not answer the door." I frown confusedly.

"Jesse?" I ask, but he's already hung up. There comes an angry knocking at the door, and both Anna and I tense in fear. Anna sits timidly beside me on the sofa, clutching my hand.

"Where's Mom?" Anna whispers. It's gone midday, but this is the first time Anna has realised our mother isn't home. I rise off the couch, pulling my twin with me. She follows without protest. "Where are we going?"

"Mom didn't come home last night," I answer quietly, ears perked. There's a ruckus outside suddenly, and the door bangs again. "And we're going upstairs. We're going to pretend that we're not in."

"The Simon household!" A gruff, masculine voice roars outside the house. Anna squeaks, and pushes past me up the stairs. "I'm Paul Slater from _Vedette _Magazine. I want to talk to Anna!"

I rush up the stairs to find Anna waiting for me at the top. Upon hearing her name, Anna had dropped her soda can in shock. It lies still at her feet, seeping brown liquid onto the carpet. I stoop down slowly and pick the can up, setting it on the bookcase behind us. There's another loud knock at the door, and we both shriek.

"Anna! We don't mean any harm; we just want to talk to you about your boyfriend. Hector De Silva?" Anna gasps, and links her fingers with mine.

"Paparazzi," she whispers. "They've found out that Hector stayed here last night." I nod.

"And Jesse must have knew that they did," I continue. "He just warned us not to answer the door." We creep to the window and I lift the curtain to see a crowd of ten or possibly more journalists surrounding our front door, some accompanied by cameras, others just with notebooks or recorders. But they're all shouting my sister's name.

"Oh, Suze!" Anna cries, fearfully. "What have I _done_?"


	5. In Need of Rescue

**A/N Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! I really appreciate it. If you read, please take the time to review? I'm open to constructive criticism, but I hate flames. **

**And I know you'll hate me for this chapter's ending, but just remember. I love you guys, and I won't hurt you for long... (Cue the evil cackle).**

* * *

**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**PRESS SURROUND YOUNG GIRL'S HOUSE**_

_As rumours circulate of Hector De Silva's new flame, the paparazzi take action_

**Chapter Five**

**In Need of Rescue**

Nothing had even happened between Hector and Anna – as they had so viciously declared at the breakfast table that morning – yet the crowd of photographers and journalists circling around our house is growing, and they are showing no signs of going away. My sister and I are sat against the radiator, listening to the desperate cries of the paparazzi – led by _Vedette_'s Paul Slater, who continues to knock the door loudly and ask for a statement.

"Do you think they're ever going to go away?" Anna asks, worriedly. "Or should I go down there, and tell them something." I shake my hand, remembering Jesse's message over the phone. I take hold of Anna's hand to stop her leaving.

"We are not answering the door," I reply, firmly. "Jesse said not to." Anna scowls at the mention of Jesse's name, and begins to massage her feet with one hand, whilst the other is trapped in mine.

"_Jesse said not to_," she mimics, in a falsetto that is supposedly me. I don't say anything, and instead look at my own feet, which are sporting chipped red nail polish. "God, Suze. Do you like him, or something?"

"No," I say, almost immediately, because it's true. "Jesse's just a… convenience." I feel awful for saying it. "He's tutoring me in math, that's all." Anna looks satisfied with my answer, though my insides twist with guilt.

"Now might be a good time for a convenience," Anna remarks, handing me her cell-phone, which she has produced from her bra (how much does she keep in there, anyway?). "Do you know his number?" I shake my head, but remember that Mom left the directory out in the hall from when she was looking for a job agency. I drop Anna's hand and sneak on to the hall, careful to keep my head low so that nobody outside can spot me. Snatching the heavy paperback, I run back into my bedroom (which is so much neater than Anna's) and sit against the radiator again.

"De Silva… De Silva…" I thumb through the pages, looking for Jesse's – and Hector's – surname. I find a Jorge De Silva. "Do you think that's Jesse's family?" I ask Anna, showing her the book. "It's the only De Silva there." Anna nods, and then goes back to her feet. I flip open her cell with trembling fingers, and punch the number in.

"Scenic Drive," Anna says, looking at the directory again. She whistled. "Maybe I should hook up with him – the guy's obviously got money, living in a place on Scenic." I bring a finger to my lips to silence her, and she closes the directory, pulling a face. A low, masculine voice answers the phone, and I know at once that it's Jesse.

"Jesse!" I hiss, desperately. "They've surrounded our house, we can't get out. They're calling for Anna and they're starting to bang on the door…" I trail off, suddenly aware of how scary the situation really is. Jesse shushes me soothingly, and I can hear deep muttering in the background. Jesse's voice fills my ear, and I jump.

"_Querida_," he says, softly. "Don't worry. Hector and I will be there soon. Just promise me you won't go near any of the windows or the doors. We will make them go away, and it will easier to do so if they think there is nobody home." I nod, before realising that he can't see this over the phone.

"We're not going near the windows," I tell him. "We're upstairs, against a radiator." Jesse tells me to stay there, and then hangs up quickly. My heart is thumping in my chest, and Paul's voice can be heard outside again.

"Anna? Are you hiding because there's something you _don't _want to share with the rest of the world?" There is a sudden rush of eager chatter amongst the press. "Are you aware that Hector De Silva is five years older than you and can therefore be charged if the two of you participate in sexual intercourse?" Anna cringes.

"What?" I whisper, noticing her expression.

"Paul Slater just said _sexual_," she explains. "Gross!" I roll my eyes at her, and clutch her cell phone in my hand, hoping it will ring again, and it will be Jesse, telling me he is on his way, and there is nothing to worry about. His low voice was strangely calming.

All of a sudden, a familiar female voice shouts outside, and Anna and I exchange simultaneous glances. "Mom!" we whisper, victoriously. We jump up to the window – against Jesse's wishes – and see that all cameras and microphones have been pointed in our mother's direction. She is alone, determinedly pushing her way through the crowd.

"Move out of my way!" she orders, looking harassed. "Out of my way – I live here!" We see her fumble in her purse for her keys. Photographers are snapping away hurriedly at her; they know she is likely to be the only picture they will get of this story today. My mom keeps fighting through the hordes of people, until she reaches the front door.

"Mrs. Simon, are you aware that your daughter is allegedly dating former child star Hector De Silva?" Paul's voice is growing increasingly annoying. My mom doesn't answer him, and we hear her key in the lock. "Mrs. Simon, do you have any comments. I'm Paul Slater from _Vedette_; we will pay good money for an exclusive…" I groan inwardly – money is my mom's one weakness. Just as I think she is about to cave, she answers him.

"It's Ms. Simon," she replies, firmly, and then the front door opens, and she is out of sight.

"Mom!" I cry, and Anna and I make to rush downstairs, getting stuck in the doorway and squabbling to be the first one down in the process. "Get _off _me, Anna; you're the one that got us in this mess." I push my sister roughly, but she is determined. With a shove each, we're free, and Anna is down the stairs first. She embraces my mom triumphantly, and casts a scornful look in my direction. I linger on the bottom step, listening to the shouts outside.

"Anna," my mom mutters into her hair. "What the hell is going on?" I decide that this is where I have to step in. I step down off the bottom stair and lead both my mom and my sister into the kitchen, where it's a little quieter. Not that we can't hear the shouts at all.

"Mom," I say, refraining from sounding pleased as I begin my tell-tale. "Anna brought home a movie-star last night. He slept over, and that's why there are so paparazzi surrounding the house." My mom looks over at Anna in shock. I grin, but then Anna pipes up defensively.

"Um, hello? That is _so_ not the issue here," she argues, though it _so _is. "The point is, if you'd have been home last night, you would have stopped a movie-star sleeping over. So 'fess up. Where were you?" My mom turns a brilliant red and mutters something incoherent. Anna leans in closer. "What was that, Mom?"

My mom hesitated. "Work ran late at the station," she explains. "Some big news story came in at the last minute, and I was one of the only ones left to cover it. It's O.K – I got a bonus." I raise an eyebrow suspiciously.

"What was the big story?" I ask. I feel like we were interrogating her, but I don't believe her one bit. My mom, however, is quick with her answer this time.

"Cockroaches," she replies. "Big infestation of 'em, over by Wal-Mart. Shoppers were going crazy – there was a big riot. Three people were injured." This doesn't exactly sound possible, but I'm too stressed to investigate further. The shouts outside the front door are getting louder. The doorbell rings. Once. Twice.

"Should we get it?" Anna asks, concernedly. She stands up, but my mom and I grab a hand each and pull her back down again. She takes an apple from the fruit bowl and starts eating calmly. I can't believe how relaxed she is, now that Mom's home. Mom doesn't make a difference to me, there are still people at the door, and the doorbell is still ringing. Once. Twice.

"You know," Anna says conversationally. "It could actually be someone important at the door – and not that Paul Baker, or whatever." I go to correct her, but then I hear another voice at the door. A voice that is soothing, and calming. And for the first time since this whole thing started, makes me feel like everything is going to be O.K.

_Jesse._

"_Querida_?" He calls, loudly outside the door. God knows why he couldn't call me Suze. Or at least Susan. "_Querida_, are you alright?" My mother raises an eyebrow, and Anna, who takes Spanish, smirks. I ignore both of them, and run to the front door.

"Jesse!" I shout back. "We're O.K – but are they showing any signs of leaving? At all?" A siren sounds outside, and I know that Jesse has called the police. My heart swells with affection, and I unlock the door and let both him and Hector in. The depleting crowd of journalists turn around from where they had been walking away, and start yelling again.

"There's someone inside!"

"They let the kid in!"

Jesse yanks Hector in roughly, before him and I shove our weight against the door to get it to close. The cops have gotten out of their cars, and are starting to make their way through the crowds, pushing them away from the houses. I collapse in relief against Jesse, who wraps a protective arm around me.

"Thank God you came," I whisper against his chest. He smiles, but then releases me as soon as Anna appears in the kitchen doorway. We needn't have worried though, as all her attentions are focused on Hector, who stands nonchalantly, staring at the grandfather clock we have in the hallway in wonder.

"Hector!" Anna gasps, and she throws herself onto him. He catches her swiftly, and lets her sob into his neck. I just roll my eyes at her pathetic display. She was the most casual about the situation just two minutes ago. Hector strokes her dark brown hair affectionately, though stops when my mother makes her way into the hallway.

"Thanks, kids," she says, to Jesse and Hector. "God know how long we could have been stuck in here for." I stick out my chin impertinently – it's unfair how Hector is getting the credit when it was Jesse who warned us about it in the first place. It was half Hector's fault it had even happened. But my mother has already gone upstairs, no doubt to run a bath and relax after the 'horrific ordeal' that she experienced for barely ten minutes. I look outside, and there are hardly any people outside now. The cops ask Jesse and I for a statement – Anna is too 'distressed' – but I don't press charges. To be honest, I am just too exhausted.

"You want a soda?" I ask Jesse, after the cops are satisfied that we will be left alone for the remainder of the afternoon, and the evening. He nods, and we walk into the kitchen. "Thanks again for helping us out. My mom was nearly as grateful enough as she should have been." Jesse shrugs.

"It's no problem," he replies. "It was my cousin's fault that this happened, anyway." I shake my head, and mention that it was also my sister. "Well, whoever's fault it was, it's all over now." I nod, and hand over a soda. He manages not to drop it, and I laugh nervously. "What?" Jesse looks amused.

"Nothing," I say dismissively and immediately. "I'm just going to see if Anna wants one…" She and Hector aren't in the kitchen, so I open the lounge door to see Anna sat across his lap, and the two of them make out. I turn away in horror, and walk straight into Jesse. The can of soda I had for Anna falls to the floor and starts fizzing angrily. Anna and Hector break apart in surprise, and she jumps off his lap quickly.

"Suze!" she hisses. "God, what is your problem?" She grabs the door handle and pulls the door shut in my face. I bend down to pick up the still fizzing can, a little stunned by what I just saw.

"They really are a couple now," I say tonelessly, rooted to the spot. Jesse nods, smiling, and takes the can from me, throwing it into the trashcan. Most of the soda had spilled onto the floor, and the can was nearly empty. "Anna and Hector, I mean."

"Good for them," Jesse replies, good-naturedly, before catching sight of my expression. He takes my hand and leads me away from the door, so that Hector and Anna can't hear. We sit down at the table. "You are not happy for your sister?" I chew my lip uneasily before answering.

"Anna didn't even know who Hector De Silva was a few days ago," I explain, with a heavy heart. "She just knew him as 'that movie guy'. It has always been me who's adored him-" I blush slightly as I realise I am revealing so much to a practical stranger. "-I've seen all his films, have all his posters…" I trail off miserably. "It should be me." Jesse's smile falters, and his face is expressionless once again. I realise that I have probably said too much.

"You're in love with Hector?" he asks me. I blush again, before answering.

"I think so." My voice is meek and quiet. Jesse takes a sip of his soda thoughtfully, before swallowing heavily and speaking again.

"Then you should fight for him," he answers, simply. I choke on the soda I had just sipped, and Jesse looks concerned. Once I reassure him that I'm O.K, though, he continues talking. "If you feel that strongly, then you shouldn't let someone else have him." I consider this, whilst watching Jesse take another sip. He was right.

"Alright then," I reply, setting down my soda firmly. "This is war."


	6. Let the Games Begin

**A/N Um, kind of a filler chapter, but I hope you'll like it anyway. Check out the forum (Simon Says: It's Award Time, it's fourth one down on the Mediator section) and vote for your favourite authors/fics... voting ends Feb 2nd, and we want lots of votes to count!**

**Plus, for those of you who haven't read it yet, I have a new fic - The Stroke of Midnight.**

* * *

**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**THE SECRET IS OUT!**_

_Hector De Silva's underage lover is finally revealed_

**Chapter Six**

**Let the Games Begin**

I roll my eyes and throw out the magazine that Jesse had just tossed into the cart, scoffing at the headline. I know that right now, my sister is at home screaming on her cell to one of her brain-dead best friends, no doubt describing in graphic detail what it's like to have Hector De Silva's tongue in her mouth. Believe me – I'd heard one of the earlier conversations. It made me wanna barf pretty bad.

"Remind me why we are shopping again?" Jesse asks, patiently, as I scan the shelves for specific items. I swipe a box of L'Oreal hair dye – in a frightening blue/black colour – and dump it into the cart. Jesse eyes it doubtfully. "Didn't your mother buy the groceries yesterday?"

"Yes," I answer. "Although the only food items she actually bought were strawberries and ice cream. The rest she spent on this pair of shoes." Jesse nods understandingly, and pulls two multi-packs of Cheetos into the cart obediently.

"For substance," he explains. "The ice cream and strawberries could run out pretty quickly." I grin, and shrug. Then I ask him to pass me a bottle of maple syrup from one of the higher shelves, which he hands to me kind of dubiously. "For the ice-cream?" he asks. I hesitate.

"…sure," I reply. "Anna loves maple syrup on her ice-cream. Plus, sometimes we find pancake mixes in the cupboards. And syrup is even better on pancakes." Jesse doesn't believe me, but he drops the subject. The truth is, ever since I declared 'war' on Anna last week (without her knowledge, obviously) he's been watching me like a hawk. This is the second time he's come shopping with me in a week. After school on Tuesday, it was to pick up some aspirin for my mom. I know – major excitement.

Jesse glances at his watch. "It's nearly half past four," he reminds me. "We should be getting home now – or we'll have no time left for tutoring." I wave a hand impatiently, collecting just a few more random items into the cart before heading to the check-out. The cashier eyes my slightly worrying cart – I mean, it's not everyday that someone buys hair-dye and Cheetos and not a whole lot else – but starts pricing it. Jesse and I move to the end, and start packing the stuff into plastic bags. I've learnt quite quickly that Jesse's super strength is quite useful to have around. He packs stuff _really _fast.

Once we reach my house, we put away all the groceries – although most of them I hide in my room, away from Anna's prying eyes – and then I offer Jesse a soda, hoping desperately that he will forget all about math. He doesn't.

"_Querida_," he says sternly, unpacking a textbook and a calculator from the backpack that he left at my house before coming shopping with me. "It's time for tutoring now. Father Dominic is expecting improvement, you know, and he won't get any unless I actually teach you something."

I surrender, and get some paper from the study. Jesse opens the textbook to the latest topic – I was still stuck on simultaneous equations – and points to an example that I copy down obediently.

"No," Jesse says suddenly, and he reaches over to take hold of the pencil. This would be fine, except for the fact that my hand is still _on _the pencil. I tremble at the contact, but thankfully Jesse doesn't notice. Instead, his concentration is on the math – of course. "Label the equations," he reminds me. "And put your workings in to three columns. Don't you remember from last week?"

"Jesse," I reply impatiently. "Do you not remember the events of this week?" Jesse rolls his eyes, and I raise a hand to tick off the events. "Let's see – first, my sister brings home a movie-star. Then the paparazzi surround my house. And then my sister starts _dating _the movie-star. How was I meant to remember _simultaneous equations _after that?"

Jesse drops the pencil and squeezes my hair concernedly. "I know this week has been a difficult one, _querida_," he says, softly. "But if you do not pass math, you will not graduate in two years time with the rest of your class. It's important." I nod, and place a circled number two next to the second equation. Jesse releases my hand and sits back in his chair, watching me work silently, like he hadn't been holding my hand less than ten seconds ago.

It wasn't quite as easy for me to forget.

X

I push open the door to my sister's bedroom, careful not to let it creak, and stick my head in, just enough to see her body gently rising and falling. She is asleep, just as I had hoped. I close the door and creep down the hallway to the bathroom, collecting the hairdryer I had left outside my room on the way there.

I scan the shelves in the bathroom, skipping past my own bubble bath and shampoo, and reach up to collect Anna's. I unscrew the top of her shampoo carefully, pouring some of its contents down the sink in front of me. Part of me squirms in excitement as I tip the hair-dye into the bottle, and watch thankfully as the colour doesn't change.

Look, I know it's childish to wage a war like this on my sister, O.K? But part of me can't resist. And most of me wants to see the look on her face when she realises her hair is no longer chestnut brown and instead a gothic blue/black. And, of course, how her loving boyfriend Hector reacts.

Screwing the cap on again, I skulk carefully out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, before I remember the maple syrup downstairs in the fridge. The lure is too tempting, and I drop the hair dye box into the trash can before slipping downstairs to inspect the fridge.

The maple syrup is gone.

To any other family, this wouldn't really seem that odd. I mean, the disappearance of some maple syrup isn't life threatening, or anything. It probably was used up on some pancakes or whatever. But when I'd said to Jesse that Anna likes it on her ice-cream, I hadn't exactly been telling the truth.

No-one in my house can stomach the smell of maple syrup. Which made it even weirder than someone had taken it out of the fridge to use. I knew that nobody had thrown the bottle away unused, because I'd taken the trash out before I'd gone to bed, and there was no maple syrup there.

Unless…

Anna had figured out what I was up to. And had planned a comeback, involving maple syrup.

No, she wasn't that smart.

Was she?

I shrug to myself in the kitchen, and slink back upstairs to go to bed. I stuck my head into my mom's room to say goodbye, but she wasn't there. She must have been out working again. That was strange though; I didn't seem to remember her mentioning it.

I change into my pajamas and settle down to sleep, trying to push all thoughts of my mom, and Anna-and-Hector to the back of my mind. I lay there for I don't know how long – an hour, two hours – before there is a loud knock at my bedroom. I jump in the darkness, and call out. But there is no verbal answer, only another knock.

I sigh, and kick off the duvet. Sitting up in bed, I swing my legs over the side of my bed before slipping my feet into my slippers and standing up. It takes me a couple of moments in my dozy state to realise that my feet feel a little weird. I lift my left foot out of my slipper again and wiggle my toes a little before noticing that they are covered in maple syrup – and so is the other foot. I inspect the interior of my slipper, and groan.

The door is pushed open and there stands my sister, Anna. She takes one look at my syrup-y feet before replying.

"Gotcha," she says with a grin.


	7. Misunderstanding

**A/N Thanks for all the positive response! I know this hasn't quite got the plot of my previous stories, but I'm trying to make it work...**

**Check out my new story: _The Stroke of Midnight. _Yes, I know, another WIP. But I think it's going places.**

**Also, the Simon Says forum. Voting ends soon, so hurry up if you haven't already voted! **

* * *

**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**ROCK AND ROLL!**_

_De Silva's girl sports a new gothic hairstyle_

**Chapter Seven**

**Misunderstanding**

"Oh my God! Suze, I am going to so _freaking _kill you!"

As usual, my sister makes a melodramatic entrance by slamming the front door behind her, and stomping into the kitchen, where she removes her beanie hat and throws it at me indignantly. I catch it, trying not to grin at her furious expression. I put the hat down on the table and turn back to the cereal I had been eating.

"Something wrong, dear sister?" I ask, chewing thoughtfully. She throws herself into the seat next to me, glaring. I glance at her newly dark hair which she pets defensively, before exploding, causing me to jump and drop my spoon with a clatter.

"Yes, there's something wrong!" she screams, gesturing towards the hat. "Thanks to your little trick, I now have photographers chasing me everywhere, asking what the _hell _I did to my hair!" I snort, but don't meet her eyes. "They want to know what Hector thinks. And do you know what Hector thinks?"

"I was surprised he even noticed," I remark, dryly. Anna ignores this, and continues with her tirade.

"He thinks I'm in a band! That I'm a band geek, and he keeps asking me where I hide my guitar pick, and why I won't ever let him see me rehearse!" Anna sighs dramatically. "He says only band geeks and Goths dye their hair black, and seeing as I never wear any black – besides my underwear, of course-" I suppress a gag. "-he has come to the conclusion that I am in a band. Are you happy?"

"Immensely," I reply, trying hard to remove the image of Anna patiently explaining to our modern-day caveman Hector that she does not belong to a band of any kind. My sister detests all cliques that don't shop at Victoria's Secret and have a higher quantity of foundation slathered on their cheeks than brain cells to use in Chemistry.

To my surprise, Hector walks in, his hand delving into a bag of Doritos. "Yeah," he contributes a little late. "All band geeks have black hair, don't they?"

"No," I answer shortly, finishing my cereal and placing my bowl by the sink. I pat him on the shoulder, my heart fluttering at the contact. "I'm afraid it's only like that in the movies, Hector." I smile gently. I blush, realising that I still haven't removed my hand from his shoulder. Anna frowns, and changes the subject hastily.

"So," she says, coolly. "Is Jesse De Dorkus tutoring you tonight?" I glance at the calendar and nod, before pouring myself a glass of water and sipping it.

"Yes," I respond. "But maybe you ought to think twice about what you call him. Have you forgotten that his cousin is standing right there?" Hector shrugs, and plucks another Dorito from the packet.

"My cousin has different interests to me," he explains, stating the obvious. "I guess he is kind of a geek. Math and stuff isn't exactly what you'd class as cool, right?" He looks to me for support. "Or is that just in the movies?"

"Hector had a private tutor," Anna informs me, with a smile. I notice that she's purposefully slipped an arm around his waist and is holding him close to her. Part of me suddenly feels violently ill.

"I know," I say, privately remembering all the biographies I have read about him – including the one of his official website. But I don't mention this to either my sister or Hector himself. "And no, I guess math isn't cool. But if it helps me graduate, then that's fine by me." Anna sniffs at my final comment, and then pulls Hector in for a kiss right in front of me. I try not to notice, and push my way past her, the pain in my heart stinging a little.

But not as much as it used to.

* * *

"You know," I say, putting down my pencil and smiling at Jesse. "I think I've finally got it." I push my workings towards him to mark, and he draws an elaborate smiley face next to my correct answer. We'd been working at simultaneous equations for over an hour, but after three weeks of tutoring, I'd managed to get a consecutive three questions right.

"Well done," Jesse praises, leaning back in his chair and taking a sip of his soda. "I'm very proud of you." I grin, and stare down at the smiley face he had drawn me. It had long hair, and curled eyelashes. It looked a little like it was meant to be me.

"Thank-you," I reply, turning pink. "It's all down to you that I even began to understand it." Jesse waves my comment away with a dismissive hand.

"It is not the tutor that completes the question," he says, wisely. I laugh, and get him another soda, sitting down with my own. He pulls the pencil that I am about to pick up again away, and I look at him quizzically. "It's time for a break," he announces, and I look doubtful. "Or else your brain will get overtired."

"But Jesse," I complain. "I've just started to get it. If we stop now then I'll be back to square one." He shakes his head, disagreeing. He stands up, and walks across the kitchen to turn the music on. It's a slow song, and I'm suddenly aware that Jesse and I are alone in the house. Anna is out – no doubt partying with Kelly or Debbie.

"Do you dance?" Jesse asks me. I shake my head, furiously, and he laughs. He takes a few steps towards me, and holds out his hand. I refuse to take it. "_Querida_," he says, amused. "I can teach you. It's not as hard as you think, you know." I stare at his hand like I am afraid of it. Eventually, Jesse reaches down to force my hand in his, and pulls me out of my chair, as the first chorus begins.

He places my left hand on his shoulder and my right in his left, whilst his right is securely resting on my hip. Our bodies are close, and I can feel his warm breath on my bare shoulder. I'm afraid of saying anything that will mortify me, but in the end I can't bear the silence between us.

"It's a nice song," I muse. Jesse nods, before twirling me around. I watch our reflection in the glass window opposite, before falling backwards and Jesse dips me. It seems like he was right – dancing _is _easy. Especially if you have someone like him leading you.

The song slowly finishes, and as Jesse deals me one last twirl I trip and lose my balance, finding it again as I press both hands against his chest and lean against him. I look up at him apologetically, before losing myself in the dark pools that stare back at me, just as confused.

"Sorry-" I begin to mutter, but I can't finish. Linking his fingers with mine, his mouth nears mine, and my lids begin to droop… before I'm nudged backwards so that I'm standing on my own two feet again and not leaning on Jesse. My eyes snap open to see Jesse detaching his hands from mine and walking back towards the table to collect his things.

"I should probably go," he announces, his voice a little less confident than usual. "It's getting a little late." I look at the clock and see that it says that it's only seven-fifteen, but I don't mention it. I don't think my brain has fully recovered.

"O.K," I murmur, but he's already out of the room. I hear a faint thud as the front door closes, and sit down to drink my soda again. I pick up my notepad and look at the little smiling caricature Jesse drew. I'm almost definitely sure it's me.

A key slides into the lock of the front door, but I don't bother moving. It could be Mom – though it's more likely to be Anna, as my mom has told us she is working late this week – and so I assume it's nobody I need to worry about. Until, that is, I hear a masculine mutter of "Aw, _shit_." I'm up and out of my seat in seconds and searching the kitchen for a weapon to defend myself.

"You'd better get out of here!" I yell, trying to choose between a rolling pin and a kitchen knife. "I don't know how you got a key, but I got a weapon…" I seize the knife and make towards the kitchen doorway with it before Hector fills the frame and squints at me.

"Anne?" he asks, his breath blowing into my face. I nearly throw up in my mouth – he smells of booze so badly that it's suddenly all I can smell. And by the way that he is trying to hug me, it looks like he is extremely drunk. "Anne? Anna?" Oh, great. He thinks I'm my sister.

"Hector," I say, sternly, dropping the knife onto the kitchen surface. "When did you get a key? And why are you drunk at seven-fifteen at night?" He doesn't answer me, and instead grabs me by the wrist and starts to pull. "Hey, let go. Anna will be here in a minute, and she'll drive you home. I haven't even got my permit yet. Hello? Let go!"

Hector's grip on my wrist only tightens. The phone rings and I move to answer it, but he pulls me straight past it. I try to pull myself out of his vice-like hold, but he doesn't seem deterred. The answer machine clicks on, and Paul Slater's voice fills the hallway.

"Hey, I'm calling for Anna Simon? It would really great if she or her sister could come down to the office and give us an interview. _Vedette _magazine is really desperate for you to be our main cover story!" I scowl, and manage to reach over to delete it, before I'm yanked out the doorway.

"Hector, where are we going?" I ask. Hector greets me with a drunken smile.

"Anne, I need to get out," he pleads. "Just wanna spend time with my girl, O.K?" I look in horror to see paparazzi waiting at the bottom of my driveway, getting ready with their cameras to capture the latest in Hector's love life. Hector still hasn't noticed that I'm _not _Anna – despite the fact that I clearly don't have black/blue hair.

"But I'm not-" I try to protest, but my cry is drowned out by the yells of the paparazzi.

"Who's this, Hector? You cheating on your girl already?" Hector turns to me with a confused look, which I just roll my eyes at. The photographers begin to close around us in a circle, their shouts louder than ever. "Give her a smooch! A great smacker, right on the lips!" He grabs hold of my other hand, so that I am facing him. I make a face, trying to pull away.

"No, Hector," I say. "You really don't want to do this-"

But my desperate argument is cut short as he presses his lips firmly to mine.


	8. The Next Day

**A/N Kind of a short chapter, but at least it's an update! Thanks to all who reviewed, very grateful of course :-) Especially to Junaberry - I wish I could have replied! It was a really nice review, thankyou very very much :-D ( I am queen of the smilies today).**

**The bit in italics is third-person, and hopefully you'll see the relationship between Jesse and Suze start to change a little bit. Enjoy!**

* * *

**TODAY'S HEADLINE: OH, SISTER!**

_Hector De Silva is snapped cheating on his girl – with her sister!_

**Chapter Eight**

**The Next Day**

"Why are you hiding in the library, _querida_?"

I don't even have to look up to see who it was. I know that nobody else called me '_querida_' – it was generally 'Suze', or in the case of people who didn't know who the hell I was and just asked me to move out of the way, I was labelled 'you' – but I can't help looking up into Jesse's deep brown eyes. They seemed to offer some comfort.

"I'm not." That's my short and slightly impatient reply. Jesse sighs and pulls the chair opposite me out, to sit on. He looks at what I am looking at, which is the local newspaper, before pulling it out of my hands. I try to snatch it back but he's too quick. He quickly throws it onto another table, before frowning at me.

"Don't torture yourself, _querida_. It wasn't your fault." I toss him a look that can only be described as 'duh' before speaking. Somehow now I can't face his dark eyes. It could be possibly because I've remembered what happened yesterday when we were taking a break from tutoring.

"Of course it wasn't my fault," I reply, studying my nails. "It was your stupid drunk cousin." As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I regret them, but Jesse doesn't disagree. He knows as well as I do that Hector is not exactly the smartest guy on this earth.

"Last time I checked you didn't think him so stupid," Jesse says, in a low voice, just loud enough for me to hear. I look up at him in surprise, but he pretends he hasn't said it. I go back to my nails, my cheeks burning a little.

"You don't have to stay," I tell him, when he shows no signs of going away. "I've probably caused your family enough public humiliation. Go salvage your reputation whilst you still can." I didn't mean this to be funny, but Jesse laughs; a deep, hearty chuckle. I struggle to smile.

"In case you haven't noticed, _querida_," he says, softly. "I am somewhat of a geek. My reputation was ruined the day I passed seventh-grade math." I couldn't help smiling at that.

"Well, thank-you," I answer. "My sister won't even look in my direction. Needless to say the rest of the school is following suit." Jesse reaches forward and squeezes my hand gently.

"Don't worry," he whispers. "It'll all blow over soon." I have my doubts, and tell him so. He shakes his head. "You'll see. Everyone will forget about it soon." I cast a glance at the abandoned newspaper, and the bell rings, echoing through the quiet library. I stand up, collecting my bag, before leaving the library arm-in-arm with Jesse, knowing that I'm safe from any scathing remarks this afternoon.

* * *

_"Are you sure this is the right place?" Paul Slater snaps into his cell-phone._

_"I – I'm sure, sir," the man on the other end stammers. "Susan and Anna Simon definitely go to Junipero Serra Mission Academy. Are you at the right school? Maybe you're at Robert Louis Stevenson by mistake-"_

_"Of course I'm at the right school, you imbecile." Paul's tone is harsh. "But the girls aren't here. I'm leaving now; this was a complete waste of time. I've learned now not to ask for information from a fool like you, Jenkins."_

_"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm sure it's right! Perhaps you could ask for them to be pulled from their classes, claiming to be a relative…" Paul stops listening - a slight, skinny girl arm-in-arm with a Spanish boy catches his attention. He looks down to the newspaper he had in his hand to check – and sees that the girl is Susan Simon. And with her, he is almost certain, is Hector's cousin._

_Paul hangs up, not bothering to say goodbye. Jenkins did not matter now. He has secured his target._

* * *

"Oh, great," I say, turning my head so that my face is hidden from Anna's view. "There's my sister." I gesture with my hand so that Jesse can see her. She's sat at her usual lunch table, applying her make-up before she moves to next period. She's surrounding by her usual flock of girls – including the deadly Kelly and the brainless Debbie. I freeze, unsure of where to go. 

"It's O.K," Jesse whispers in my ear. I feel his hot hand in mine and grasp it tightly. I see out of the corner of my eye him grinning. "You're going to be fine."

"I have to walk through that," I reply, tonelessly. "I have to walk through that and _survive_, Jesse." He nods, and starts walking, tugging me along. Soon Debbie spots me and nudges Kelly, sniggering stupidly. Kelly whispers something to Anna, who then looks up to see me just as I pass her. She sticks her foot out and I trip, colliding with Jesse who just a little in front of me. He catches me easily.

"You are aware that that's _Jesse_ De Silva, right?" Anna asks venomously. "And it's not my boyfriend you're holding hands with?" I don't answer, and Jesse squeezes my fingers. I clutch them tighter than ever, getting increasingly more nervous.

"I know," I say eventually. "I'm surprised you remember his name. Everyone knows you're stupider than a sponge, Ann." Anna chews her lip furiously, before exploding at me. Even Jesse drops my hand in surprise. I reach down to find it immediately.

"I'm not the one getting a tutor in math!" she cries, flinging a hand in my face dramatically. The other smoothes her dark hair self-consciously. "Though I don't know how much tutoring the two of you actually get done." I blush scarlet despite there being no truth to that accusation, and Jesse steps in protectively.

"You know that unlike some people, your sister doesn't only have friends because she's known to be promiscuous," he retorts in a low voice. Kelly gasps, but Anna stares back blankly. It's obvious she doesn't know what promiscuous means.

"Jesse," I say, highly impressed of how he has rendered my twin sister silent. "Let's just go, O.K? I don't want to listen to this anymore."

"Sure, just go," Anna replies, who seems to have recovered a little. "Nobody cares about you anyway." I start to walk away, before I'm overcome by some sort of rage. I drop Jesse's hand and stalk back over to my sister, slapping her face hard.

"You have no right to talk to us like that," I tell her. "You're no better than me, or Jesse. You may slather on heaps of make-up to look better, but inside you're superficial enough for the three of us!" She blinks at me, and I laugh disbelievingly. "And what's more, you don't even know what superficial means. You're just a stupid little _slut_." I hiss the last word, but everyone around still hears me and stares at me in awe. Anna is speechless, and I begin to walk back to Jesse, who is smiling at me proudly, before Anna seizes me and pulls me to the floor, sitting on top of me.

It turns out that my victory over my sister is short-lived. The truth is, starting a fight with the most popular girl in school was probably not the best idea, considering what happened next.


	9. Detention

**A/N I messed up my back on Monday and therefore have been houseboound - the result of not warming properly before Hockey, let that be a lesson to all of you! - and so you're in luck. An update! Thanks for all the reviews, I think last chapter was the most popular yet!**

**For Megan. :-)**

* * *

**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**THE OTHER WOMAN SPEAKS OUT!**_

"_It was just an honest misunderstanding!"_

**Chapter Nine**

**Detention**

"Stay there, both of you. Don't move until I get back."

Detention.

That is what you get for fighting with your sister on school grounds.

I sit slumped in my seat, pulling my notebook out my bag so that I can doodle. Anna is the other side of the classroom, blowing bubbles with her gum and scowling at me. As soon as Sister Ernestine was out of earshot, she came to sit at the desk in front of mine.

"I can't believe you broke my wrist." She gestures with her bandaged hand. "Do you have any idea how hard it's going to be now to paint the nails on my right hand?" I roll my eyes at her, and she checks the door to make sure that Sister Ernestine isn't coming back. "What were you doing holding hands with Jesse anyway? Are you two going out now or something?"

"We're not dating," I assure her. "He was just the only friend I had – I have. You turned the whole school against me; no-one else would even look in my direction. Not that many people paid attention to me in the first place anyway." Anna looks thoughtful.

"You don't like him at in that way?" she asks. "Jesse, I mean. Not at all?"

I chew my lip. "He's nice enough," I answer. "I mean, he's smart, and he's caring. But he just doesn't have the looks that… well, that Hector has." I blush at the reference to my sister's boyfriend, and she looks furious. But not for the reason I think.

"Are you crazy?" she demands. "He's the spitting image of Hector – he even has the same scar!" I think now and realise that she's right. "Only Jesse's scar is bigger. It's from a dog bite – this huge dog attacked Hector when he was a kid, and Jesse tried to help and ended up getting just as hurt." I laugh slightly at Jesse's heroism. Anna shakes her head. "You know, if I didn't love Hector so darn much I'd try to make a play for Jesse. God knows Hector hasn't got even one working brain cell."

I look up from where I'd been staring at my desk. "You love Hector?" I ask, surprised to realise that my heart isn't sinking at all. She nods, and then smiles sadly.

"Sorry, Suze," she says. "I know now that it was really unfair of me to make a move on him after you'd adored him for so long. I guess I kind of thought that I'd make you feel like crap after the years that you made me like that." My mouth dropped.

"What are you on about?" I asked, standing up indignantly. "It's been you – Little Miss Popular – making _my _life hell since sixth grade, when you first discovered kohl and bras. That was when you became Queen of the School, and I was left behind as your dowdy little sister." Anna's eyes were wide.

"No, Suze!" she cried. "I may have been superior to you socially, but you never had Mom asking you 'Why can't you be more like your sister?' every time you brought home a test with a big fat **F **on it. You never ever got an F! You might need tutoring in math, but I need tutoring in _everything._ Unless I pass Geometry, English, Math, World Civ… I'm not going to graduate, come senior year. God, the only thing I'm passing is Gym, and _that's _because Sister Mary Margaret is as blind as a bat." She blinks at me. "Are you getting this now?"

Before I could answer, however, Sister Ernestine comes back into the room. "Miss Simon!" she yells, and both of us and jump and ask 'What?'. Sister Ernestine sinks back into her wooden chair and corrects herself. "Miss _Anna _Simon. Get back to your seat." Anna rolls her eyes but heeds, her high heels clacking on the floor as she moves across the classroom.

"We'll talk later," I mouth.

* * *

"You know, I wish we could have talked like this years ago," I say, digging a spoon into my frozen yoghurt thoughtfully. "We could have spent so many years being… _sisters_ instead of enemies. Don't you think?" 

"Yes," Anna agrees, tucking into her own frozen yoghurt. "And who would have thought _Hector _would be the one to bring us together?" I laugh. "So, are you going to get with Jesse?" I blush.

"Anna," I say, embarrassed. "I don't know how I feel about him yet. I mean, this morning he was just my friend. It's kind of moving a bit too fast for my liking. I'm happy with the way things are."

"You mean with your unrequited crush on my boyfriend?" Anna asks, teasingly. I shake my head.

"That's definitely over," I assure her. "I think I've realised over the last couple of days that whatever I felt for Hector wasn't real. I was just in love with each and every one of the characters he played. In real life he's as dumb as a doorknob." I glance at my sister. "No offence."

"None taken," she replies. "He's stupider than me. But he makes me feel beautiful – a movie star. And he makes me look smart." We giggle girlishly. Anna suddenly sobers, and she lowers her voice. "There's someone behind us – don't look. But he's been following us all the way from the school. I kind of recognise him."

We stop and sit down at a little table, chucking our empty yoghurt bowls into the trash can. I pretend to scoop my hair to the opposite side, trying to sneak a look at our supposed stalker. At the sight of him, I suck in my breath.

"Ann," I whisper. "That's Paul Slater." She frowns at me.

"The news guy? From _Vedette_?" I nod.

"The one and only. Why do you think he's following us?" Anna shoots me a look that can only be described as 'duh'. "He _still _wants a story?"

"Well of course!" Anna exclaims. "It's all your fault for making out with my wasted boyfriend." I scowl at her and stand up. She does the same. "Good idea," she says. "Let's run. Where we heading?"

"The car," I decide, and we start running towards the parking lot. I check behind me to see that Paul is following – still walking, but faster than he had been before. "Ann, he's still following."

"We'll take a short cut," Anna mutters, and turns a corner. I chase after her trying to warn her.

"That's a-" We come to a stuttering halt. "-dead end," I finish. Anna turns to look at me in horror. But she's doesn't get the opportunity to say anything.

"Hello, ladies," Paul says smoothly. "Why the rush?"


	10. Paul Slater

**A/N Yes, I know, it's been a while. I planned my half-term to be all relaxed and write-y, and then I got given a monologue to write and learn, and I really wanted to enter Lolly's competition, and before you know it, it's Wednesday! (Yes I _know _it's Friday now, but this was started on Wednesday)... Anyways, enough with the excuses. This is Chapter 10, and if you have time, you should check out my other Mediator fic, The Stroke of Midnight.**

* * *

**TODAY'S HEADLINE: THERE'S ANOTHER?**

_De Silva spends time with his almost identical cousin!_

**Chapter Ten**

**Paul Slater**

Two broad-shouldered and unpleasant-looking men loom behind Paul, their purple faces grinning in gormless delight at the sight of us. The one to Paul's left – who was slightly more toothless and hairy than his partner-in-crime – guffaws in his ear.

"You found 'em then, boss." Paul shows his white teeth as I reach for Anna's hand desperately. "They're like little mice – all scared. Me and Diego could squash 'em, no trouble." Paul holds up his hand to silence him, and the man falls quiet, exchanging a look of glee with Diego.

"Now, now, men," Paul says, just as conversationally as before. "We don't want to scare the ladies." He nods his head in my direction, and turns to speak to Diego. "You can take that one, Felix. Make sure you cover her mouth – you never know how loud these girls can scream."

Anna drops my hand and starts to yell – but Diego is already behind me and has kicked her to the floor, winding her. He seizes me before I have a chance to rebel, and his strong, sweaty arm is wrapped around my mouth, restricting my breathing and defeating any chance of screaming till we're found.

The other man scoops Anna up from the floor, who is still grimacing. Diego had kicked her hard, causing her ankle to twist as she felt to the ground. Paul spares no thought to the comfort of either of us, however, and simply snaps open his cell and orders whoever is at the receiving end to bring the car to the alleyway.

"That one first," Paul says to Diego, who carries me roughly to the car, before giving me a harsh shove into the back seat. "Keep them on the floor so they're not spotted." Diego sits on the hot, sticky leather seat whilst I'm forced to crouch, level with his knees. As Anna does the same to my left, and Paul climbs into the front passenger seat, I speak up, finding myself free from Diego's smelly clutches for the time being.

"You know, someone will realise we're missing. I'm supposed to meet Je – _my tutor – _in twenty minutes. If I'm not there in thirty, he'll be calling the cops."

Paul scoffs. "Whatever, little girl. No-one will find us." He cast a contemptuous look in Diego's direction, before adding, "Gag her. And the other one." I hated how he didn't use our names – though I was almost certain he knew them – and treated us like slaves. I also hated that five minutes later I was sat with a piece of material cutting into the sides of my mouth and making me feel like I was going to throw up.

There is no point crying out for help – the gag makes sure that no noise whatsoever can escape from my mouth – no-one would hear us anyway. Paul has the stereo inside turned up so loud that my eardrums feel like they are going to burst any second. Instead, I reach for Anna's hand and squeeze it. _We'll get through this. I'm here_.

Soon the car comes to a shuddering halt, and I'm thrown against the back of the driver's seat – Anna thrown against Paul's. Diego and his goof grin before grabbing the two of us by the shoulders of our shirts and yanking us out of the car, throwing us into the dust. I cough against the gag as some of it rises upwards into my mouth.

"Get them down onto the pier," Paul orders, and he heads down there himself. I realise for the first time that we're by the sea – an abandoned yacht club, by the looks of things. I'm pulled up again by my shirt and thrown down the stone steps to the wooden walkway. I land hard, grazing my knee. I'm also definitely sure I'll see a few splinters in my arm when I can get up again.

A dazzling white boat greets us on the pier, the golden lettering reading _SLATER_. We are thrown aboard the yacht and thrust into two chairs, our hands tied behind our backs like we are criminals. I'm too scared to cry, and Anna has turned a sickly yellow colour. My knees are trembling – knocking together like they do sometimes when they collide with Jesse's underneath the table.

_Jesse_.

My heart swells at the thought of him, and I squeeze Anna's hand tighter. The thought of him has given me fresh hope that we're going to be O.K. We have to be O.K… I need to tell Jesse how I feel.

"Do you know why I've gone to so much trouble, ladies?" Paul asks, sinking into a leather sofa opposite us. Because the gag has rendered me speechless, I merely shake my head, though I'm pretty sure of why we're here. Paul gestures with his hands for Diego to remove the gag, and I gasp, taking in as much fresh air as I can in one go.

"You don't?" Paul looks like he almost believes us. He stands up again and brings his face very close to mine. "It's because neither of you will give me a fucking story, that's why."

His breath is minty-fresh on my chin. "That's why you have us here?" I whispered. "So that you can add more crap to your rag?" Paul hits me instinctively, and my cheek burns. I can't even shield it from any more attacks, because my hands are still tied.

"Spill the beans on your boyfriend," he says, before turning to look at Anna. "Or your boyfriend… or _whoever's _boyfriend he is… and I won't kill you." Hysteria burbles up my throat and I laugh nervously. Paul pulls a knife from his pocket and digs it into my chin. "I'm not kidding around, little girl."

"I didn't say you were," I reply. He takes a step backwards and sinks back into his sofa.

"So," he asks conversationally. "Which one of you is going to go first?"

* * *

_Jesse raps on the door – once, twice. There is no answer._

_"Susan?" he calls, concernedly. He pulls his phone from his pocket and calls her cell. It's off. He replaces his phone and frowns confusedly. "_Querida_!"_

_"Hey." A low voice – obviously not belonging to Susannah – comes from behind him, and he turns to see his cousin Hector walking up the driveway. "You looking for the girls?"_

_"_The _girl, actually Hector," Jesse replies. "Susan – she was meant to be at home… we had a tutoring session." Hector realises for the first time that Jesse is holding flowers, and narrows his eyes._

_"Dude, are you sure?" he asks. "'Coz it looks like a date to me." Jesse looks down and quickly stashes the flowers behind his back. Hector grins. "Do you like her, or something?" Jesse blushes._

_"Or something," he answers, and then he pauses. "…I think I am in love with her." Hector shakes his head thoughtfully._

_"'Bout time you figured it out, dude," he says, good-naturedly clapping his cousin on the back. "Well, as long as you stay away from my girl, it's cool with me." _

_"Thanks. Do you have any idea where they are? The house is locked and no-one's in." Hector looks pensive again – a usual rarity. "What time does their mother usually come in?"_

_Hector shrugs. "Sometimes she doesn't come home at all," he answered. "I mean, she says she's working… but Anna doesn't believe it. Nobody likes work that much, right?" Jesse says nothing. Hector notices his cousin's concern. "Hey, I tell you what. Maybe they went out to the pier, got some shopping in. All girls like to shop. You want me to drive you?" Jesse nods and the two walk back down the driveway towards the black shiny car that has been very badly parallel-parked._

_

* * *

_

"Aw, come on," says Paul, taking a men's magazine from his coffee table and flipping through the pages absent-mindedly. "One of you's gotta have some dirt on the guy. Which one of you is sleeping with him again?"

"None of us," Anna answers, to my surprise. "We've only been dating a few weeks." I smile at her, and she manages a weak one back. Paul, however, tosses the magazine at her, slitting her cheek with a paper cut. She winces.

"You brought us here on a boat to get some lousy story from us," I say, in a bored voice. "Are you insane? A normal person would just call us up." Paul stands up again, and I flinch at the sudden movement.

"I did call you," he says. "I called your phone and I waited outside your house. Hell, I even waited outside your school." I shake my head in disbelief.

"You're insane," I whisper. "All because of a story. Are you that desperate for a story? That desperate that you'd risk going to jail for kidnapping?" He doesn't answer, and instead kneels before me.

"Are you going to give me a story?" he asks. "Or am I going to have to kill you?" Anna squeals in fear, and I look at her fearfully.

"I'll give you a story," I decide, eventually. And then I spit in his face, causing him to reel backwards in disgust.

"Get the bitch outside!" Paul roars, and Diego wrenches me from the chair, wrenching my shoulder muscle as my tied hands are thrown over my head. Paul wipes his face with the back of his hand and follows me and Diego outside. Diego hauls up by my armpit, and lowers me over the side of the boat.

"Suze!" My sister tries to cry from inside.

* * *

_"It doesn't look like they're here," Hector decides, once he and Jesse had searched the pier a couple of times. "Maybe they went home." Jesse shakes his head._

_"No," he disagrees. "If they were home, Susan would have phoned me, demanding why I wasn't at our tutoring session. There's something going on, I know it." Hector frowns. "Why are you looking at me like that? What's wrong?"_

_"That girl is looking at you," he replies. "Behind you, blonde curly hair."_

_"Maybe she thinks I'm you," Jesse jokes, before turning around and groaning. "Ugh, great. That's Kelly Prescott, high school queen bee." Hector grins._

_"They seriously have them in real life?" Jesse rolls his eyes, and makes his way over to Kelly, who seems a little shaken. _

_"Are you O.K?" he asks, and she's silent. After a while she manages to shake her head, before throwing herself at him and sobbing into his chest. "Kelly, what's wrong? Kelly?"_

_"They were kidnapped!" she cries. "I saw them together – you know, Anna and the freakish sister that you like so much – and they disappeared down some alleyway. I tried to call them, tell them it's a dead end, but then these guys followed them down and then…" She howls again. "This car pulls up and they're thrown in!"_

_Jesse is horrified. "Kelly!" he yells, shaking her by the shoulders. "Why didn't you go to the police? Something could have happened to them by now!" This just makes her cry harder. Jesse sighs, and hugs her. "Which way did the car go?" Kelly points, and Jesse gestures for Hector to come over._

_"What's up?" Hector asks. "Does this chick know where Suze and Anna are? Why is she crying?"_

_"They were taken that way," says Jesse, pointing in the same direction as Kelly did. "It looks like they were taken to the old yacht club." He looks at Kelly. "Are you coming, or staying here?"_

_"I'm staying." Her answer is immediate. "I mean, I'll call the cops or something." Jesse nods, and beckons with his finger for his cousin to follow him._

_"Come on, cuz. We're going after them."_

_

* * *

_

I struggle as Diego continues to hold me over the boat – my toes are dipping in the water, rippling the surface. My wrists begin to burn against the rope that Diego is dangling me from, and my heart is pounding so hard my ears are starting to ache. Part of me is begging him just to let me go…

"Suze!" Anna attempts to yell again, and Paul's expression becomes one of irritation.

"Ugh." He waves an impatient hand. "Just drop her."

I land with a splash into the icy depths, coughing and spluttering as I manage to swallow a lot of water. I try to grab hold of the boat to steady myself, but I can't find it as my eyes are too cold to open. A roar of the engine tells me it's on the move – and I can't tell which way it goes.

"Help!" I cry, waving my hands up in the air frantically. "Help, someone please!"

"_Querida_?" A deep and wonderfully familiar voice floats towards me, and for a moment I think I must be imagining it. Until I hear it again. "_Querida_, are you O.K?"

"Jesse!" I yell. "I'm over here!"

A yellow inflatable boat drifts closer, and I see both Hector and Jesse peering down at me. Two strong, tanned hands reach down and pull me in with them. I pull the rope off my hands and breathe deeply, taking large gulps of fresh air. In, out… in, out…

"Oh, Jesse, thank God you found me…" I begin to gush, but Jesse interrupts me, grasping my hands.

"I'm so glad you're O.K," he says, before pulling me in for a kiss.

**Thanks for reviewing, by the way! Do it again?**


	11. The Rescue

**A/N Thanks to everyone who reviewed! This story has been a little slow with reviews for the last chapter, but I hope you're all still reading!**

* * *

**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**DE SILVA MISSING!**_

_Teen star's sudden disappearance sparks rumours of hiding_

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Rescue**

"I love you," he says breathlessly, as I clutch his face with my cold hands so that I could kiss him deeply. "Not knowing where you were drove me crazy."

I can't reply with words, so I just keep kissing him. He doesn't seem to mind – it's only Hector who grows tired quickly of our PDA. He clears his throat noisily, and we quickly – and regretfully – break apart, looking guilty. Hector's affection for my sister is blatantly obvious by his urgency. He grabs my hands worriedly.

"Where's Anna?" he asks, and I turn to look at the boat. My lips seem to have thawed a little from the heat of Jesse's. I'm able to answer verbally.

"On the boat," I reply, pointing. "Th-th-they've got her tied to a chair." I point to my chest dramatically, before declaring "They had me too!" Jesse squeezes my hand gently, and I mumble something incoherent back. I think I'm a little in shock.

"Holy cow," Hector mutters, after listening to me. Only he doesn't say holy, if you catch my drift.

Or cow, for that matter.

"We have to get back on that boat," he says, desperately pushing with a make-shift oar so that the little dinghy can get closer to the yacht. I help with my hands, along with Jesse, who speaks encouragingly to his cousin at the same time.

"It's O.K, Hector," he says, warmly. "We'll get her, we'll save her. She'll be fine, Anna will be fine." It's like a mantra, over and over again. "We've called the police, the police will come. Anna will be fine, Hector." Hector almost seems to tune it out, putting all his energy into moving the boat. His stare is on the distant yacht, which is slowly but surely getting closer.

"Come on," he urges, though I'm unsure of who exactly he is urging. His glazed-over expression suggests that he's talking to himself, but I take heed anyway and paddle faster. My sister is on that boat – the sister with whom I have newly reconciled. My _twin_. We're so close now that I can almost hear her yelling –

"What's that noise?" Hector asks, whirling around, panicked. "She's in pain! She's shouting. Oh God, oh God…" My heart leaps too – and not in the good way – and once we collide with the side of the boat I grasp it with my numb fingers and look for something to tie the dinghy too.

"We've called the police, _querida_," Jesse informs me in his calm voice. "So you stay in the boat and wait for them-" I hold up my hand to interrupt him.

"No no no no no," I reply, indignantly. "I am _not _letting you guys go on that boat without me. What if something happened to you?" Jesse shook his head.

"_Querida_, you will be safe on this boat. We don't know how dangerous Paul Slater is-" I interrupt again.

"I _do_ – I've been on that boat already. And he's _deadly_. So if you think I'm just going to let you risk your life without me, then you got another thing coming-" An agitated Hector jumps between us.

"She is coming," he says, jerking a thumb in my direction, before giving me a boost onto the boat. "And you," he shouts up to me, once I'm on the deck. "Can shut the hell up. We need to save Anna." Jesse nods and climbs onto the deck, before standing beside me. I am ashamed to admit that his journey up was a lot more graceful than mine, and did not involve him sticking his ass in Hector's face.

Hector swings himself up easily – all that working out for action films _so _pays off – and joins us on the deck, looking a little nervous. And who can blame him? None of us – except for me, who was a little too traumatized to remember – know what's going to be like once we open the doors to the little sitting room. My palms are sweating, and Jesse's face is expressionless – usually a sign that he's nervous or angry about something.

"Are you ready?" Hector asks us, and we not – admittedly, a little tentatively. "O.K." He takes a deep breath. "Let's go." He takes the lead, the first one to open the doors. To say that Paul is surprised to see me standing there behind Jesse – protective as always – is an understatement. He looks absolutely astonished.

"I decided I wasn't in the mood for drowning today," I say, with what I hope is sophistication. "I hope that's O.K with you." Paul stands, his fists curled, and he exchanges glances with his two cronies. Jesse steps in front of me, shielding me. Hector does the same on the other side, but all the while his gaze is on Anna, who sits before us, gagged.

On her cheek is a deep gash. On the floor before her is a rusty knife. I feel sick to my stomach, knowing now why she yelled.

"I think you should let her go," Hector says coolly, as Jesse kicks the knife towards me. I grasp it and hold it like a weapon, watching Paul and his two sidekicks for any sudden ambush. "I've called the police. They're on their way."

Paul smirks. "Very smart of you, little boy," he replies. "It's a shame that I'm going to kill you before they get here, though. And that I'm going to tell the police that _you _were the criminals. Especially now that she's got her prints all over that knife." I glance down at the knife in my hands. "And ask anyone at school. The two sisters hate each other." He gestures to the cut on Anna's face. "Enough to attack each other." I throw the knife to the floor in disgust.

"Too late." Jesse stands calmly, ever the diplomat. "The police are already here." As he says this, I hear a deep voice amplified by a megaphone, and a siren. I look outside to see three boats surrounding the yacht, as well as several cars on dry land in the distance. I turn to Paul with a smug smile.

"Looks like your time is up," I declare. His expression is unreadable, though I spot a muttered 'Shit'. I grin.

"Mr. Slater, you are under arrest. Please surrender your vehicle." I have to laugh at this. It all seems so surreal. Like I'm in some kind of action movie!

"Yes, Mr Slater," Jesse adds. "You're under arrest. I believe they're waiting for you." Paul roars in anguish, just as two policemen burst in and push me, Hector and Jesse out of the way. They cuff Paul, and request back-up for the two cronies, who are helpless now that their leader is incarcerated. They walk obediently behind the two cops with their hands held high in the air.

"Don't move," one of the cops orders us, and we nod. As soon as the cops have left though, Hector runs to untie Anna, and kisses her passionately. It's nice to feel that there's no twinge in my stomach as I see this. Not even a tiny one.

There is, however, when I look at Jesse, who's watching me intently. "What?" I ask, turning to face him. His face is kind of sad.

"It's O.K that you don't love me," he says. "I guess it was always kind of ridiculous to think that I could compete with a movie star." I frown confusedly.

"What are you talking about?" I ask. "I kissed you, didn't I? On the boat? After you saved me?" Jesse shrugs.

"I suppose I just thought you were all caught up in the moment," he replies. "Especially as you never replied to me." I can't help laughing at his misunderstanding, and I squeeze his hand hard.

"Oh, Jesse," I say, shaking my head. "I can't believe you haven't realised." Jesse's face lights up a little.

"Realised what?"

I grin. "Tell me again," I demand. "Tell me that you love me."

He takes me in his arms. "I love you," he whispers, and he brings his face closer to mine – so close, in fact, that I can feel his warm breath on my chin. I go to reply the usual way – you know, "I love you too" – but I stop myself. Somehow, it's all too clichéd. Instead, I put a twist on the old-fashioned reply.

I breathe deeply. "Ditto," I answer. He leans down to kiss me – just the once, a contrast to Hector and Anna's over-zealous display. I bury my head into his jacket, admiring the warmth.

My heart's beating twice as fast as it was when I was the one tied to a chair.

But I like it.


	12. Mom

**A/N Happy Saint David's Day, everyone! O.K, most of you aren't Welsh...(O.K, _none _of you are as far as I know, besides Megan) but have some Welsh joy anyway...**

**Just this one chapter before the epilogue! Enjoy xxx**

* * *

**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**HERO!**_

_De Silva, along with cousin, saves two teenage girls from being murdered_

**Chapter Twelve**

**Mom**

Apart from being sore round the gums from the gag, Anna turned out fine. We all had to go down to the police station and give a statement – Paul's now in jail with no bail – and after a check-out at the hospital, we were free to return home. Jesse and I held hands all the way home. I know, I know. PDAs gross me out too. But it had to be done.

"God, I'm exhausted," I say, as Anna slides a key into the front door. "I think I'm just gonna take a nap." Jesse squeezes my shoulder reassuringly, and we all crowd into the hallway, taking off our shoes. I suddenly notice something. "Hey," I say, pointing at a pair of Jimmy Choos (Yeah. My mom has enough money for expensive shoes, but never for groceries…) "Mom's home."

"Huh," Anna considers. "Maybe she got fired, or something." Jesse and Hector wander into the lounge, sinking onto the sofa and turning on the T.V. I go to do the same, before hearing voices upstairs.

"Mom?" I call, confusedly. I hear a gasp, and shout again. "Mom, are you O.K?"

"Hang on, honey!" she yells, and I hear a crash from upstairs. "I'll – _ouch –_ I'll be with you in a second…" For some reason, my brain doesn't clock what's going on at all, and I grab Anna, rushing up the stairs.

"Mom, I'm coming!" I say, as I drag my twin sister up the stairs with me. "What's wrong?"

"Suze!" Anna protests, trying to free herself. "Suze, Mom's fine – will you let go? She's probably just got-" I dash frantically across the landing and lean on the handle of my Mom's bedroom, pushing the door open.

The sight that meets me may very well stay with me forever, burned onto my retinas. Because what I see, is my mother in her underwear, half-in half-out of a pair of jeans, and a half-naked Andy Ackerman lying on the bed behind her.

"Oh. My. God…" I blush, mortified.

"…company," Anna finishes her previous sentence, stunned.

Back downstairs, Anna is fixing us both a mug of hot chocolate. The awkward silence between us is suddenly broken by our snorts of embarrassed laughter. Seriously. We laugh so hard that we start to cry.

"I _cannot _believe that we walked in on our _mom_," Anna says, incredulously, pouring hot water into the two mugs.

"With Andy Ackerman!" I add, shaking my head. We giggle again, before spotting Hector and Jesse in the doorway. Jesse has one eyebrow raised.

"We heard laughing," Hector explains. "And decided that if fun was to be had, then we'd better be involved." Jesse nods in agreement. I collect two more mugs from the cupboard and set them down, before clueing them in.

"We found our mom with a guy. Fun's over." Their faces drop, and I wave a mug in front of their faces. "But hey…hot chocolate…" They grin, and eagerly await their drinks. I have to admit, Jesse is pretty much adorable when it comes to hot chocolate.

"Anna? Susie?" My mom peers into the kitchen, thankfully fully dressed. Andy stands bashfully behind her. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Jesse and Hector stand up, taking their full mugs with them.

"That's our cue to go," Jesse says, and after dealing me a soft kiss on the lips, he leaves, along with Hector.

"Sure, Mom," I say, gesturing to the empty seat in front of us. "As long as you spare us the gory details." She shoots me 'a look', before sitting down. Anna and I start to snigger again, but manage to control it.

"I suppose I owe you girls an explanation," my mom says, sighing. She rests her elbows on the table top. "And an apology."

"Mom, it's fine," Anna replies, and I nod in concurrence. "We're happy for you, really, however grossed out we are. Andy's a nice guy, and you need someone nice. And I guess he really needs a break from a household of guys. Everybody wins."

"It's not about that," my mother answers, hastily. "Although, I am grateful for your support. It's just… I've been lying to you." Anna squirms. "I haven't been spending extra time at work. I've been…" She turns to look at Andy, who is still waiting in the hall. "…with Andy. We've been sneaking around because we weren't too sure how to break it to you girls, and the boys, about our relationship."

"Well, you don't need to sneak any more," I assure her. "We're totally cool with it. And I'm sure Jake, Brad and David will be fine with it too, if you give them time."

"You mean Sleepy, Dopey and Doc," Anna whispers in my ear. "They're like, half the Seven Dwarfs." I smile, before waving Andy in. "Hey Andy, you want some hot chocolate?"

"Sure," he replies, before dumping a letter onto the kitchen surface. "Um, this was on the mat in the hallway. It's for Anna?" Anna hands the mug she had collected for Andy to me, and stares at the package in wonder.

"What's wrong?" I ask, and she waves a hand dismissively.

"I got in," she says, almost inaudibly. "I can't believe it."

"Got in where?" My mother asks, suspiciously. Anna starts tearing the package open, and several sheets of paper coming spewing out, along with a couple of leaflets. "Did you apply to a school?"

"Yeah," Anna breathes. "Near Los Angeles. And I got in!"

"How?" I ask. "I mean, no offence, but your grades _suck_." Anna grins, before turning to me.

"I took a leaf out of your book," she replies. "Got a tutor in all the subjects I was bad at. And it paid off!" She started reading avidly from the acceptance letter.

"Los Angeles?" my mom repeats, concernedly. "That's not exactly near home, Anna. It's going to require a lot of money – and that's just for accommodation…" Anna shakes her head.

"No, Mom," she says. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm going to be living with Hector." Mom spits out the mouthful of hot chocolate she had sipped in attempt to calm herself down.

"Hector?" she demands, loudly. Hector immediately appears in the kitchen, thinking he's been called.

"Yes?"

Everyone ignores him. "Hector?" My mom, says again. "There is no way in hell that I'm going to let you live with a boy. A _movie star _boy, no less." Anna groans pleadingly.

"Mom, I love him," she says. "And besides… he still lives with his parents." Now, as much as I newly-love my sister, I have to point out that this is not true.

"Nice try," I reply. "But you were there when we were both watching _E! True Hollywood Story_." Anna shakes her head indignantly.

"He just… kinda told the paparazzi that he lives away in L.A, away from his parents. The truth is… they kinda moved with him." I cannot believe this. Hector De Silva – _still living with his mom?_

Hector nods sheepishly. Anna turns desperately to our mom. "Please?" she begs. "Please? I really want to go to this school…" She walks over to Hector and wraps an arm around his waist. "And I really want to be with Hector too." My mom takes a deep breath, before looking at Andy, who nods encouragingly.

"Fine."

Anna squeals, and starts jumping around wildly, before giving Hector a smacking kiss. Jesse appears in the doorway, bemused, and I make my way over to him.

"Anna got into some school in L.A," I explain, and he nods understandingly.

"Any idea where you're going to apply for next year?" he asks me, and I shake my head.

"No idea. I guess it all depends on whether I can pass math. What about you?"

"You will pass math," Jesse assures me. "And I think I'm just going to apply wherever you go." I look at him wonder. "I don't think I'll want to go to a school that you won't be in." I kiss him gently, and he wraps an arm around me, kissing me back.

"Things have definitely changed in the last couple of months, huh?" I ask, taking a step back to admire this scene in the kitchen. "I mean, Anna and Hector, you and me… Andy and my _mom_..." Jesse gives me a squeeze.

"Yes," he replies, kissing the top of my head affectionately. "And thank _Dios _they have."


	13. The End

**A/N The end! I know this hasn't exactly been a successful fic (in comparison to some of my others!) but thankyou to everyone who has stuck by it faithfully :-) I'm going to be taking The Stroke of Midnight off hiatus now, so maybe you guys wanna check _that_ out??**

**Thanks again! Me xxx**

* * *

**TODAY'S HEADLINE: **_**DE SILVA BACK IN BUSINESS**_

_Teen star moves back to L.A, accompanied by his lady friend_

**Chapter Thirteen**

**The End**

_Two Years Later_

"Mom?"

I bang hard with my fist on the door of the vestry, panicked. My mom should have had her ass down that aisle ten minutes ago.

"Mom? Do you plan on getting married today or what?"

My mother appears, pink-faced and a little watery-eyed. I pull her into a hug, patting her on her shoulder. "You'll be fine," I assure her, leading her good-naturedly to the huge double doors that should be opening any second. "Honestly. Andy's a good guy. You told us so yourself, didn't you?" My mother sniffles in agreement, before righting herself. I let go of her arm. "Are you O.K now?"

She nods.

"Good."

I make it back to my seat in the front pew just as the dum-dum-dee-dum begins, and squeeze Jesse's hand excitedly. My mom is getting married, and she's the happiest I've seen her in a long time.

Well, you know. Before she starting crying seconds before her wedding.

"Is she O.K?" Anna hisses from Jesse's other hand, leaning forward.

"Well, considering she's coming down the aisle _right now_," Jesse says, conversationally. "I'd say she's fine." Anna sits back in her pew, snuggling up to Hector. Yes, I have reminded them that this is a church.

"You look beautiful," I mouth to my mom, whose eyes begin to well up again. I shake my head frantically, and she smiles, before mopping her eyes with her bare wrist and taking Andy's hand at the altar. The priest – mine and Anna's principal, Father Dom – greets the congregation, and invites us to join in with the first hymn.

Personally, I hate to sing. Especially hymns. Still, I move my mouth energetically in time… at least until I catch Jesse smirking at me. "What?" I ask. He shakes his head, and continues singing 'All Things Bright and Beautiful.' I nudge him in the ribs. "What?"

"You're not singing," he says, with a grin. "Why aren't you singing?"

"I hate hymns," I tell him. "Especially this one." He shrugs, turning back to his little leaflet thingy. "Anyway, you're not singing either."

"I hate hymns," he replies, mimicking me. "Especially this one." I scowl.

"You do _not _get to mimic the wedding planner," I inform him, firmly. "Now you sing at my mother's wedding, you hear? Or I won't dance with you at the reception." He snorts with laughter, before singing very loudly and very embarrassingly. I hang my head in shame.

"Nice," I say as we sit down.

"I try."

"Do you, Helen Jayne Simon, take this man, Andrew Jay Ackerman, to be your lawful wedded husband?" Father D asks my mom. She smiles prettily, before squeezing her husband's hand.

"I do." Cue the 'aww's from the audience.

"And do you, Andrew Jay Ackerman, take this woman, Helen Jayne Simon, to be your lawful wedded wife?" Andy agrees that he does indeed, and the two kiss – after Father D gives the go ahead of course.

The reception is a little more eventful. Hector spikes the punch, and then proceeds to consume most of it, along with an unsuspecting Father Dom. Needless to say, the events that took place on the dance floor will probably stay with me for a long while.

I guess I must have zoned out, a little while after Hector and Father D had participated in "The Macarena", with exaggerated hip movements. Twice. The next thing I knew Jesse's hand was on my shoulder and his warm breath in my ear.

"May I have this dance, _querida_?" It's a slow one; kinda resonant of the one playing on the radio the first time I'd realised I liked him. I smile, before taking his hand and letting him lead me onto the floor. My knee-length dress swishes as he spins me around, and then he pulls me close to him so that my head rests on his chest.

"How does it feel to have a new stepfather?" he asks me.

"You mean with the added bonus of three stepbrothers?" I quip. "O.K, I guess. Maybe it would be worse if I wasn't moving out to live at college, and I'd be stuck with three stinky boys." I consider this. "Poor Mom."

"Your poor mother indeed," Jesse agrees. "Still, it could be worse. She could have _you _living there aswell." I poke out my tongue playfully.

"Well, now _you _have that honour," I tell him. "You're gonna be under the same roof as me when we move into the dorms." He nods.

"Perfect."

I'm not exactly sure if he was being all teasing sarcastic or not.

* * *

"Just one more."

"Mom!" Anna wails, but she drops her suitcase on the floor anyway and hugs my mom again. "Mr. and Mrs. De Silva are waiting," Anna says into Mom's shoulder.

"Oh, honey. Be good, O.K?" Anna sighs, before stepping backwards and picking up her bags again.

"I'll be fine," she assures her. "I'll be back for Christmas, you know that." This sends my mom into a fresh round of hysterical tears. She turns to sob into Andy's chest, who pats her good-naturedly.

"Good luck, kiddo," he adds kindly, to an unsure Anna. I decide it's my turn to hug my sister goodbye.

"You're gonna have _so _much fun," I tell her. "L.A? _Fun_." She smiles sadly. "Oh, come on. Please don't tell me you're actually gonna miss Carmel? You should be feeling sorry for _me_; because Mom can't bear to have two daughters leave the town. Feel sorry for me, stuck in this place, at a community college!" This cheers her up slightly. I squeeze her tight. "Have fun at all those movie premiers. And take care of Hector. God knows what could happen to him when he gets back in the city." She sniffs, stifling a laugh.

"Hector?" My mom calls, and he appears from the lounge.

"Yes, Mrs Simon? Er, Mrs. Simon-Ackerman?" My mom smiles. I don't think even she's gotten used to her married name yet.

"There's a box of glazed doughnuts in the cupboard. They need to be eaten by today…" He's halfway across the kitchen before she's finished the sentence, inspecting the cupboards.

"I'm on it."

"Take care of him," I repeat to my sister, who grins.

"Anna? Hector?" Jesse is in the doorway. "My parents are getting impatient now. Is everybody ready to go?"

"Everybody's ready," I confirm, before my mother can bid farewell to Anna again. Jesse takes Anna's suitcase out to the car, whilst the rest of us wait at the front door to wave good-bye.

"See you at Christmas!"

"Have fun! Good luck!"

The car is finally out of sight, and I'm surprised to see that I'm crying. I guess it goes to show how close I've grown to my sister in the past year.

And what's happening to me next year, you ask?

I'm taking classes at the local community college, undecided major. Jesse is taking Biology; he wants to be a doctor. We're living in the same dorm, but I have to come home on weekends – Mom's orders. I don't know what she has to worry about. I mean, Jesse is _very _traditional. He'll only go further than kissing me when we're married.

That's right. _When_. We're unofficially engaged – unofficially because I refuse to wear a ring. I mean, who gets engaged straight out of school? We're waiting until after college, but my mom's totally psyched about me being a taken woman. She had this big conversation to Grandma the other day about a big white lacy wedding…

Remind me to elope.

Anyways, I'm starting college pretty soon.

And you wanna know what my first class is? It's kinda weird really, seeing as it's the subject that got me and Jesse together in the first place.

Mathematics 101.

**THE END**


End file.
